Benun’s Mulberry Tree

Bright and Brilliant!
Bright and Brilliant!

Benun’s Mulberry Tree

You can interpret my paintings in a number of ways. This is just one way to look at this painting.

The colors that I used are sky blue,fluorescent green, organic orange, fluorescent red, yellow oxide, phithalo green, pale olive, king’s Blue, fluorescent blue, torquoise blue, permanent orange, cadmium yellow medium, permanent green light, deep turquoise, raw umber, pyrrole red, brownish red, pink, light brown, gray, black and white.

I painted the background organic orange to represent enthusiasm and joy.

The Tree – A tree often symbolizes life.

Beginning with the Roots – The roots of the tree are hidden from view but the presence is felt supporting the rest of the tree. The roots in my painting symbolize teachers, parents, family, ancestors, communities, education and values whose influence is tremendous but often not noticed by others. The part of the tree that is seen are the trunk and branches.

The Trunk of the Tree – I colored this tree’s trunk sky blue, lime green, reddish brown, fluorescent red, yellow, black, gray. The trunk of the tree is what stabilizes the tree and allows for it branches to reach for the stars. The trunk of the tree represents hard work, study, practice and discipline. I like to think of the trunk as parents working hard to support their children providing them the love, protection and guidance that they need to grow. Growing out from the trunk of the tree are the branches.

The branches – Branches symbolize the contributions made to the world, gifts used, and the impacts made on others. For me, the branches represent our kids and their contributions to the world. If you look at the mulberry tree you will notice that reddish brown is a strong dominant color on the branches of the tree. I use this color on the branches to create a feeling of drama, seriousness and mystery. Sky blue is the calmest color of all the paint I use on the branches. I use sky blue to give a feeling of wellbeing, soothing, and positive health that I hope represents our kids.
Beyond the tree, you will notice a mountain.

This Mountain – The mountain is painted fluorescent blue, sky blue, king’s blue, white, gray and black.  A mountain is often thought as a symbol for challenges, or isolation, or divinity, or the passage of time. In my painting the mountain represents a struggle and courage to move up the mountain and yet an ease through the passage of time to descend from the mountain. The mountain is colored blue to encourage peace and calmness through the journey. If you look closely you will notice melting snow and water. This symbolizes good health, purity and cleansing. I painted melting snow creating a river to suggest a creative flow that is surrounded by flowers representing joy, love, enthusiasm and motivation. Then grass surrounds the tree.

Grass  – The grass is painted lime green, green, orange, light blue, turquoise, black, yellow, sevres blue. The grass is painted to reflect a fresh quality or perspective.

The Shadow of the tree – This shadow is colored fluorescent blue, light blue, white, turquoise, black, and brown. The shadow is your imprint or how you impact your surrounding. Benun’s tree leaves a bright and brilliant shadow.

Bushes – The bushes are colored black, red, light orange, light blue, fluorescent green, black, yellow turquoise blue sky blue. These colors together create a peaceful image.

Hills – The hills are colored fluorescent green, black, yellow turquoise blue sky blue, brown, yellow oxide, phithalo green, pale olive, and red. Hills can symbolize a wider perspective of life and ones own potential. In my painting the hills are green with blue which are very calm and peaceful colors.

Enjoy!

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