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| Tree of Life Photograph |
Artist Statement: The tree of life is a symbol that appears throughout scripture. In Genesis, it is a life-giving tree that supports the physical and spiritual life of humankind. It was a major symbol in Jewish mysticism, symbolizing God’s manifestation in the created world. The tree of life also refers to the cross of Christ, especially in Eastern Orthodox Christianity which which sees the tree of life in Genesis as prefiguring the cross. When I saw the magnificent cork oak, I thought of the tree of life. The cork oak supports vast eco-systems, prevents erosion, and increases the absorption of the rate of rainfall. Cork forests have the highest level of forest biodiversity in the world, sheltering endemic plants and endangered species. It is the most sustainable and environmentally harvested crop, producing cork that can be harvested for many years and the individual tree can live 150-200 years. Revelation 22:2 says "down the middle of the great street of the city, on each side of the river stood the tree of life." This cork oak in Portugal reminded me of the promise of new life in Revelation. Bio: In my vocation as priest and as artist, I endeavor to evoke the holy. I use visual art and writing to invite others to awaken to the mystery of love at the heart of the universe, risk sacred encounters, and cross the threshold of their heart's deepest hopes. I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and studied photography, encaustic and frame building with Taos artist Mikel Robinson. I am currently working with photography from pilgrimages to holy places and in nature, each one a record of a moment when the divine spoke to me through the incarnate world. brower.sally@gmail.com |
~ SACRAMENT AND IMAGE ~ |
Jim Baker 1 |
Catherine D. Kerr 1 |
