About the Exhibit

This Exhibit features artwork curated from the Mother Tree Global Call for art – a collaborative creative project with TreeSisters International inviting women to tell the story of their love and advocacy of our global forests. Co-creating an investment in global reforestation efforts with 50% of proceeds from entry fees directed to TreeSisters Reforestation Projects.

Inviting a return to our place as the ‘Restorer Species’, collaborating with Earth in emergent, creative and regenerative ways, which reflect our respect, love, interconnection and reciprocity in action.

The Mother Tree Exhibit is inspired by MUSEA’s lineage and legacy of activism on behalf of women and girls and our precious home, the Earth. Co-Founders, Curator Shiloh Sophia and Jonathan McCloud as well as members of our Intentional Creativity Arts Guild, have been actively advocating for the health, wholeness, safety and freedom of women globally, attending the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women as panelists and advocates of this work. As an organization, we recognize that the status of women is interconnected with the status of our global forests, as women and ecosystems are often experiencing the same or similar harms inside of current structures.

Through this collaboration with TreeSisters Nonprofit, women are invited to rise up in creative self expression to artfully express their desire for the healing, wholeness and regeneration of our precious global forests, which in turn is also holding a powerful space for the healing and regeneration of women! We are in this together. Intricately interwoven.

The Meaning of “Mother Tree”

The concept of ‘Mother Tree’ is an ancient Indigenous knowledge that has existed for millennia. It has recently become popularized through the scientific research of biologist Dr. Suzanne Simard who discovered that forests have hub or ‘Mother Trees’, which are large, highly connected trees that play an important role in the flow of information and resources in a forest.  These Mother Trees are symbiotic with intelligent and intricate mycorrhizal networks that support the tree in communicating, sending warnings, and supportive chemical compounds to other trees, specifically their young. These complex relationships contribute to forest resiliency, adaptability and recovery and have far-reaching implications for how to manage and heal forests from human impacts, including climate change.

This concept of the Mother Tree nurturing her young, has an expansive connection to our global forests nurturing life on our planet, providing us air to breathe, offering nutrients to the oceans, regulating weather systems and the hydrological cycle, providing home and shelter to humans and other-than-human beings, and cooling temperatures on land.

The wellness of the trees and the forest ecosystems connects to our wellness. We must stand for the restoration and regeneration of our global forests, visioning and working together to ensure they will continue to thrive for 7 generations ahead and beyond. 

This concept of the mother tree also represents our connection to our matriarchal ancestors – those who are there to support us, send us messages, share their wisdom, and provide us with guidance on our life’s journey. Therefore, there is an invitation threaded into this art call theme for women to connect with matriarchal ancestral support and their own ancient root systems. This is reflected in MUSEA’s Matriarchal Lineage of activism catalyzed through creativity and the many ways Intentional Creativity both inspires and bolsters women to participate in the holding actions for women and our global forests that are so vital at this time – often including this directly in our canvases.

About the Exhibit

This Exhibit features artwork curated from the Mother Tree Global Call for art – a collaborative creative project with TreeSisters International inviting women to tell the story of their love and advocacy of our global forests. Co-creating an investment in global reforestation efforts with 50% of proceeds from entry fees directed to TreeSisters Reforestation Projects.

Inviting a return to our place as the ‘Restorer Species’, collaborating with Earth in emergent, creative and regenerative ways, which reflect our respect, love, interconnection and reciprocity in action.

The Mother Tree Exhibit is inspired by MUSEA’s lineage and legacy of activism on behalf of women and girls and our precious home, the Earth. Co-Founders, Curator Shiloh Sophia and Jonathan McCloud as well as members of our Intentional Creativity Arts Guild, have been actively advocating for the health, wholeness, safety and freedom of women globally, attending the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women as panelists and advocates of this work. As an organization, we recognize that the status of women is interconnected with the status of our global forests, as women and ecosystems are often experiencing the same or similar harms inside of current structures.

Through this collaboration with TreeSisters Nonprofit, women are invited to rise up in creative self expression to artfully express their desire for the healing, wholeness and regeneration of our precious global forests, which in turn is also holding a powerful space for the healing and regeneration of women! We are in this together. Intricately interwoven.

The Meaning of “Mother Tree”

The concept of ‘Mother Tree’ is an ancient Indigenous knowledge that has existed for millennia. It has recently become popularized through the scientific research of biologist Dr. Suzanne Simard who discovered that forests have hub or ‘Mother Trees’, which are large, highly connected trees that play an important role in the flow of information and resources in a forest.  These Mother Trees are symbiotic with intelligent and intricate mycorrhizal networks that support the tree in communicating, sending warnings, and supportive chemical compounds to other trees, specifically their young. These complex relationships contribute to forest resiliency, adaptability and recovery and have far-reaching implications for how to manage and heal forests from human impacts, including climate change.

This concept of the Mother Tree nurturing her young, has an expansive connection to our global forests nurturing life on our planet, providing us air to breathe, offering nutrients to the oceans, regulating weather systems and the hydrological cycle, providing home and shelter to humans and other-than-human beings, and cooling temperatures on land.

The wellness of the trees and the forest ecosystems connects to our wellness. We must stand for the restoration and regeneration of our global forests, visioning and working together to ensure they will continue to thrive for 7 generations ahead and beyond. 

This concept of the mother tree also represents our connection to our matriarchal ancestors – those who are there to support us, send us messages, share their wisdom, and provide us with guidance on our life’s journey. Therefore, there is an invitation threaded into this art call theme for women to connect with matriarchal ancestral support and their own ancient root systems. This is reflected in MUSEA’s Matriarchal Lineage of activism catalyzed through creativity and the many ways Intentional Creativity both inspires and bolsters women to participate in the holding actions for women and our global forests that are so vital at this time – often including this directly in our canvases.

Exhibit Media

Presentation

Museum Show

TreeSisters Presentation

Exhibit Media

Presentation

TreeSisters Presentation

Museum Show

Gallery

We invite you to explore the images and stories that weave the heart of the Mother Tree Exhibit. These images are organized in five creative categories, which you can access by clicking on the navigation  links below. May you enjoy this slow and intentional wander through the forest path…

Inspirational

“Inspiring restoration. We envision a world in which it is normal for everyone to protect and restore themselves and their world.”

~ TreeSisters International

She is a Mother Tree

Patty Iammatteo

Acrylic on Canvas

Restorative Justice Singing Tree

Laurie Marshall
Acrylic on luan plywood with colored pencil on paper glued with acrylic gloss medium.
8′ x 16′. Co-created with 12 youth volunteers over 11-months in a Leadership Training, Peace Building Through Art program.

From Her

Amber Samaya Gould
Acrylic on Canvas

Dryad

Patricia Trautman
Oil on Board

Semillas de Vida

Iréne de Brice
Mixed media, ink on paper.

Rooted

Marjolein Roeleveld
Photograph (art cooperation Karen Zuo and Marjolein Roeleveld)

The Healing Tree

Melissa Lawson
Acrylics, crumpled paper, oil pastels

Roots to Wings

Phyllis Taylor
Acrylic paint on canvas

Papatuanuku = Creatrix Goddess

Moana Whatu
Acrylic on Canvas

Mother Tree Mycelium Medicine Pouch Medallion

Gaileen Flaman
Contemporary Métis beading, full grain leather purse

My Mother’s Eyes

Lisa Loudin
Pen & Ink 18″ x 24″ using a .005 micron pen

The Healing Touch of Trees

Carol Fairbanks
Acrylic paint

As Above So Below

Karen Elizabeth Balon
Oil on Canvas with palette knife. This painting is 3 feet wide by 10 feet tall.

Voice of the Trees Mini Exhibit

Voice of the Trees

Robyn Fell

Video montage of tree photographs and tree paintings inspired by them

Inspirational

“Inspiring restoration. We envision a world in which it is normal for everyone to protect and restore themselves and their world.”

~ TreeSisters International

She is a Mother Tree

Patty Iammatteo

Acrylic on Canvas

Restorative Justice Singing Tree

Laurie Marshall
Acrylic on luan plywood with colored pencil on paper glued with acrylic gloss medium.
8′ x 16′. Co-created with 12 youth volunteers over 11-months in a Leadership Training, Peace Building Through Art program.

From Her

Amber Samaya Gould
Acrylic on Canvas

Dryad

Patricia Trautman
Oil on Board

Semillas de Vida

Iréne de Brice
Mixed media, ink on paper.

Rooted

Marjolein Roeleveld
Photograph (art cooperation Karen Zuo and Marjolein Roeleveld)

The Healing Tree

Melissa Lawson
Acrylics, crumpled paper, oil pastels

Roots to Wings

Phyllis Taylor
Acrylic paint on canvas

Papatuanuku = Creatrix Goddess

Moana Whatu
Acrylic on Canvas

Mother Tree Mycelium Medicine Pouch Medallion

Gaileen Flaman
Contemporary Métis beading, full grain leather purse

My Mother’s Eyes

Lisa Loudin
Pen & Ink 18″ x 24″ using a .005 micron pen

The Healing Touch of Trees

Carol Fairbanks
Acrylic paint

As Above So Below

Karen Elizabeth Balon
Oil on Canvas with palette knife. This painting is 3 feet wide by 10 feet tall.

Voice of the Trees Mini Exhibit

Voice of the Trees

Robyn Fell

Video montage of tree photographs and tree paintings inspired by them

Symbolic

“One thing I’ve learned in the woods is that there is no such thing as random. Everything is steeped in meaning, colored by relationships, one thing with another.”

~ Robin Wall Kimmerer

Nurture Nature

Jessica Clark

Oil on Canvas

Ancestral Tree Mother

Pegi Eyers
Acrylic, cut paper, mixed media and digital applications, with an ink border.

Cosmic Tree of Life

Lainie Love Dalby
Shamanic Healing Art mixed media collage with textured paper, cut photographs, stickers, peacock feather, fabric & crystals

Mother Earth – Earth Mother

Pamela Llano
Digital (my nature photography collaged into a mosaic of shapes made from photos of my own shadows)

 Shekinah’s Glory

Caron McCloud
Acrylic on Canvas

Momma Tree and the Forest Divine

Deborah J. Milton
Acrylic painting ( 30″ x 48″) with metal leaf

The Great Mother

Stacey Maney
Charcoal and pencil

Tree of Life

Kirti Sinha
Acrylic on canvas

In My DNA

Glenda Goodrich
Mixed media: Collaged paper, acrylic paint

The Dance of Life

Marion Maenner
Acrylics mixed media with polymer clay, shells, pebbles, thrift wood and vintage jewelry on canvas 36″x36″

Quantum Compassion

Tanya Meyer
Acrylic on canvas

Cosmic Tree of Life

Olivia Marie Oso
Acrylic on canvas

The TreeWoman

Juniper Mainelis
Acrylic and Mixed Media

She Who Awakens

Karen Maunder
Acrylic on canvas

Symbolic

“One thing I’ve learned in the woods is that there is no such thing as random. Everything is steeped in meaning, colored by relationships, one thing with another.”

~ Robin Wall Kimmerer

Nurture Nature

Jessica Clark

Oil on Canvas

Ancestral Tree Mother

Pegi Eyers
Acrylic, cut paper, mixed media and digital applications, with an ink border.

Cosmic Tree of Life

Lainie Love Dalby
Shamanic Healing Art mixed media collage with textured paper, cut photographs, stickers, peacock feather, fabric & crystals

Mother Earth – Earth Mother

Pamela Llano
Digital (my nature photography collaged into a mosaic of shapes made from photos of my own shadows)

 Shekinah’s Glory

Caron McCloud
Acrylic on Canvas

Momma Tree and the Forest Divine

Deborah J. Milton
Acrylic painting ( 30″ x 48″) with metal leaf

The Great Mother

Stacey Maney
Charcoal and pencil

Tree of Life

Kirti Sinha
Acrylic on canvas

In My DNA

Glenda Goodrich
Mixed media: Collaged paper, acrylic paint

The Dance of Life

Marion Maenner
Acrylics mixed media with polymer clay, shells, pebbles, thrift wood and vintage jewelry on canvas 36″x36″

Quantum Compassion

Tanya Meyer
Acrylic on canvas

Cosmic Tree of Life

Olivia Marie Oso
Acrylic on canvas

The TreeWoman

Juniper Mainelis
Acrylic and Mixed Media

She Who Awakens

Karen Maunder
Acrylic on canvas

Mysterious

“In some mysterious way woods have never seemed to me to be static things. In physical terms, I move through them; yet in metaphysical ones, they seem to move through me.”

~ John Fowles

Sacred Oak

Lori Sweet
Acrylic on Canvas 12×12

Polaris

Kate Langlois
Acrylic, Inktense

Breath of Creation

Maasa Craig
Acrylic on canvas

Heartwoord Emergence

Barbara Donohue
This is a digital photo montage created by layering original photographs taken by me. The tree is an apple tree and exists in my back yard. The feminine likeness is also me taken with a selfie shot. The headdress was created from photos taken of my own bird sculptures, and house Christmas lights.
This piece contains all original photography.

Reaching for the Light

Melissa Dowling
Photograph

Patience

Charlotte Jane Kessler
Oil on stretched canvas

Embraced by the Mother

Paula deJoie
Watercolor pencil

She Who Nurtures Hope

Milagros Suriano-Rivera
Paper Clay, Acrylic Paint, natural branches

Gypsy Midwife of the Trees

Karen Thompson
Acrylic paint on canvas 30″ x 36″

Holy Vestibules

Rachel Herzig
Photography

Tree Sister

Rosalie Kohler
Watercolour and ink on 300g/m paper, 29.7 x 21 cm

Grandmother

Yaelle Schwarcz
Photography

The Mothers

Carol Cameron
Sculpture: tomato cage, fabric, cardboard, wire, wool, cotton, tulle, fiberglass

Deeply Grounded

Susan Voss
Acrylic on canvas

Mysterious

“In some mysterious way woods have never seemed to me to be static things. In physical terms, I move through them; yet in metaphysical ones, they seem to move through me.”

~ John Fowles

Sacred Oak

Lori Sweet
Acrylic on Canvas 12×12

Polaris

Kate Langlois
Acrylic, Inktense

Breath of Creation

Maasa Craig
Acrylic on canvas

Heartwoord Emergence

Barbara Donohue
This is a digital photo montage created by layering original photographs taken by me. The tree is an apple tree and exists in my back yard. The feminine likeness is also me taken with a selfie shot. The headdress was created from photos taken of my own bird sculptures, and house Christmas lights.
This piece contains all original photography.

Reaching for the Light

Melissa Dowling
Photograph