United We Stand

In early autumn of 2020 we were walking in our favorite forest (The Asaph) when I noticed a gully where there had been enough erosion to reveal the intertwined root systems of several trees that were not of the same species. Upon closer inspection I noticed that their root systems were not just woven together but in some places they had grafted onto roots of a neighboring tree so that they were actually gaining strength and nourishment from trees of other species. The gully must have had water in it at one time, causing the erosion, but now it was just filled with dry leaves. I decided to do a pencil study of it first and when my son David saw it, he said that it reminded him of the scene in the movie Avatar where the scientist, Ruth (played by Sigourney Weaver) was explaining her theory about all the plant life on that planet being connected by the roots as if to a common soul. I decided to do the painting with the water back in the gully so that I could play with the idea of the root systems reflecting in the water which would create an almost circular connection. It was very challenging, but coupled with the back lighting, it gave the feeling of God’s light reaching out to those joined together in faith and support.