I consider the “Tree of Life” idea and its visual motifs as an important subset of “Ecological Order“. Each painting in the "Tree of Life" series is a different experiment with mixed media, and a different treatment of the subject. There are several ecological and bioscience themes running through the paintings in the series. A prominent theme is evolution, and our common molecular heritage (DNA and RNA). Tree of Life 1 , 3 , and 6 incorporate an evolution and DNA subject. The tree represents the web of life, and the evolutionary and ecological connectivity of the species on earth. Evolutionary connections and ecological connections are inextricably linked through natural selection, the formation of ecological niches, and through various ways that life forms have remodeled the Chemistry of the Earth.
In other paintings in the series the role of trees as ecological regulators is explored. Trees play an important role in maintaining the interconnected fabric of life. Mixed media textured dimensional approaches are used to create form and tree symbolism, and to evoke presence and absence in many of the paintings. Three-dimensional textural presence is often juxtaposed with ghostly transparency or colors that usually denote negative spaces. The combination of two disparate visual ideas intimates at the role and state of trees and vegetation in the modern world. These life forms are critical to our survival. They maintain the ecological balance and keep the fabric of life on Earth from unraveling. At the same time their own ability to survive and thrive has been challenged by changes in our environment.
