Exhibition: The Tree as Image of the Self

[Guest guest]

The Tree as Image of the Self: Trees through the

Seasons

Watercolor Paintings by Adults, Older Adults and

Young Children

Facilitated by Phoebe , M.S.Ed.,

Anthroposophical Art Therapist

Dec 4 2008 – Jan 3 2009

Call Phoebe for viewing availability:

or

Gallery 138 at the Rudolf Steiner Bookstore

138 West

15th Street (bet. 6th & 7th)

www.asnyc.org

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The Tree as Image of the Self: Trees through the Seasons

Watercolor Paintings by Adults, Older Adults and Young Children

Facilitated by Phoebe , M.S.Ed., Anthroposophical Art

Therapist

The solitary

tree can be seen as an image of the human being standing in the world. And as

it stands, weathering the storms and onslaughts of life through the seasons and

over countless years, it continues to put forth new growth, blossoms and bears

fruit each year.

Over the years

our trees have been lopped, topped and broken. They’ve been buffeted by

storms and have endured the ravages of summer’s searing heat and

winter’s blasting cold. Some have taken root and struggled for life in

dry and barren landscapes, while others have had lush and fertile ground to

nourish them. All are uniquely individual and attest to the resilience and

uniqueness of their human counterparts.

The tree which

changes most with the seasons is the deciduous tree. It flowers and bears

fruit. This group of trees includes all of our graciously spreading shade trees

and all of those that delight our senses in spring with color and fragrance, feed

us in summer with fruits and nuts, and inspire us in autumn with brilliant

foliage displays. These trees are nurturers, protectors and providers, supporting

whole communities of animals within their sheltering limbs. They also provide

most of the hardwood for our houses, furnishings and fire-side warmth.

It is in the

form of these trees that we can see an image of the lungs and bronchia. And in

fact, trees comprise most of the green “lungs” of our planet earth,

absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing the oxygen we need for life. These are

the trees of breath, community and social life.

Most

individuals, when asked to paint or draw a tree, especially in relation to a

particular season, will automatically paint a deciduous tree. When the

image of a conifer (fir or spruce form) appears spontaneously in

someone’s painting, it suggests the spine and radiating nerves and a

predominating nerve-sense system. When we paint our tree we paint ourselves.

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Phoebe

received her certificate in horticulture from The New York Botanical

Garden, her BS in special education and art from CUNY Baccalaureate Program, training

in Waldorf and remedial Waldorf pedagogy from Emerson College (UK), her diploma

in anthroposophic art therapy from de Wervel Academy for Artistic Therapy (Netherlands), and her MSEd in therapeutic

recreation from Lehman

College, CUNY.

She has worked

therapeutically and hygienically with various age groups and populations in

recreational and long term care settings, including with the elderly members of

the Fellowship Community in Spring Valley (Chestnut Ridge), NY and with co-workers of

the community and their children; and has given courses and workshops at various

conferences and here at the NY Branch.

The seasonal

tree paintings in this exhibition are examples taken from these painting

sessions.

Phoebe ,

US Liaison

AAATNA - Association of Anthroposophical Art

Therapists in North America

www.aaatna.org

phoebe@...

[Guest guest]

Phoebe,

This sounds wonderful! What are viewing availablity times this week?

t Bruce