A year of pictures

2021 - 2022 // Park Rapids, MN

A Series of images of an oak tree

There are few symbols as pervasive across different religions, philosophies, and mythologies as the tree. For thousands of years, all around the world, trees have been seen as the embodiment of holiness, knowledge, and interconnectedness; above all, they have been seen as symbols of life, growth, and rebirth. In the ancient Celtic tradition, trees were understood to be both gateways to the spiritual world and forces of harmony in the natural world, with the branches and roots often depicted as interlacing to represent the cycle of life. The many worlds of Norse mythology are connected by a massive tree that is the very center of the cosmos; and in the pagan traditions of Central Europe, trees were even holier than temples, and were the sites of sacred cult practices and rituals. In Islam, the tree is not only a spiritual concept but also an architectural motif, with trees appearing as a pattern on the walls of mosques as a representation of the potential for spiritual growth through prayer; while in Judaism, the tree of life is often used as a metaphor to describe the Torah itself.