Jun 29, 20222 min read

The Tree of Presence

The ‘Tree of Presence’ artwork was created using a dipping pen and ink by artist Salma Price-Nell. Salma’s fascination with unravelling and understanding of the interconnectedness of all things has lead her to studying trees.

Trees are the best of us

“Trees are the best of us. They give more than they take. They live for thousands of years because they are in harmony with everything around them. Whether intentionally or by lucky evolution, they have developed idealistic traits that we can learn from to help improve ourselves so that we too may be in harmony with ourselves and everything around us. Traits like patience, strength, resilience, adaptability, presence, selflessness, generosity and many more.

I titled this artwork the ‘Tree of Presence’ because many of the progress video comments were commending my patience when I don’t see it as patience. Patience is defined as : the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. When I draw it’s not patience that I am practicing, but presence. Being totally focused and consumed by the present moment. It can be meditative and transcending. When I need to practice patience during drawing it is because I am growing impatient and wanting to get to an end. That is when I need to stop because I’m no longer in the present and it shows in the work.

I’d like this drawing to serve as a reminder to live in the present. When we live in the future we suffer anxiety, when we linger in the past we suffer depression. Harmony and peace are found in this moment. I hope that when people look at this tree they will get lost in the details and be totally absorbed in the present moment.”