To early man, trees were objects of awe and wonder.  The mystery of their growth, the movement of their leaves and branches, the way they seemed to die and come again to life in Spring, the sudden growth of the plant from the seed - all these appeared to be miracles as indeed they still are miracles of nature!

-Ruskin Bond, "The World of Trees"

Recently I have been drawn to the natural world.  As I spend more and more time indoors amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I seem to miss the time I spent outdoors when I was young, just enjoying the  beauty and magic  in nature.  In our world that revolves around technological advances, we fail to notice the grandeur and simple wonders found in nature.  How can we notice this quiet, simple beauty when we walk around with phones plastered to our ears while we rush from place to place?

I want to portray the everyday magic that awaits us outdoors.  Recently I have been focusing my paintings on the beauty and individuality of trees.  Some of my paintings focus on the details of the graceful forms of tree branches,  the twisted limbs of olive trees and how they have a design all their own, the tranquil symmetry of tree farms or just a solitary bench under a tree awaiting human presence.  Nature is waiting for us to notice her once more; to be nourished by her and to be transported to another place within ourselves - a quiet, peaceful place.