This is an example of the imagery that arises when I let my imagination guide my artwork. It’s one of the earlier paintings I did after finding out I could make paint from the rocks here, titled “Four of Wands”. The trunks of the trees represent the Wands you’d find in a tarot deck suite.

Symbolism

Most of the time, I don’t think my paintings carry symbolism. However, when I don’t work from a reference, sometimes what emerges on the canvas steeps in it.

While painting, I wasn’t thinking of the title or the reference to the tarot deck. My painting has a slightly different take on the interpretation of that card. It wasn’t until afterwards that I chose the title, because I could see the symbolism it portrayed.

Four of Wands symbolizes mirth in family, community, and harmonious security. In the painting, the main tree is a mother guarding a clutch of “eggs”. It was really rocks that inspired the egg shapes, but as I began painting them, they transformed into eggs. There’s a murky bayou running between her and the other trees in the background, representing the dangers that lurk in the world.

In spite of the gulf that separates them, the trees are a community and they’re the anchors in that world of possibilities.

Twisted Minds, Twisted Trees

Anyway, that’s how my mind works. I thought I’d share that with you.

Four of Wands | Twisted Tree