How To Draw A Tree (Trees, Mental Health, Creativity)

I usually collaborate with humans for all of my public art projects. That doesn’t work during COVID, so luckily I have another big group of friends who save my life on the daily: trees.

I am building a project connecting trees with mental health and creativity which will result in a SOUND WALK up at the beautiful Arboretum at University of Guelph in 2022. We are matchmaking trees and humans for lifelong reciprocal friendships. After all, we are both in crisis- mental illness crisis and climate crisis. We can help each other.

Thanks to the Canada Council for the Arts (Research), and The Ontario Arts Council (Media Production), the many collaborators on this team and the Arboretum’s smart staff for partnering with me.

To learn more about this project HOW TO DRAW A TREE: have a listen to the lovely and smart Byron Murray who interviewed me (by surprise- I thought I was interviewing him) for his REALLY GREAT radio show “to know the land.”

https://www.toknowtheland.com/podcast/ep162

Join the HOW TO DRAW A TREE Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1653230351544041

PUBLIC TALKS:

Saturday, Sept. 11, 11AM – Noon
Myself and the very diverse TREE team (arborists, eco-psychologist, Jesuit, Indigenous elder, tree planter, medical psychotherapist, eco-acoustic artist.. ) will be talking about this project- the process so far and the larger community engagement we are developing. PLEASE COME!

https://arboretum.uoguelph.ca/educationandevents/plantsale

FREE at the Arboretum, UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH.

I will also be screening a couple of films the same weekend at the Arboretum… from another engagement project A SENSE OF WONDER, with a troupe of Deaf youth … lots to see! Hope to see you there. http://www.thiswasnow.com/a-sense-of-wonder-exhibition-opening-invite-jan-19/

A fun little side project to HOW TO DRAW A TREE- this one is for kids:

OLD LUMPY- THE TREE WITH THE ANSWERING MACHINE at EXHIBITION PARK.

I am also doing a bunch of other mini tree-human engagement projects. Like this fun little one called OLD LUMPY about a old tree with an answering machine… Thanks to Dr Doug Larson for educating us!

click here to watch the VIDEO: OLD LUMPY

and HERE to listen to some of the messages! (UPLOAD Mp3 file)