Trees have always been a comfort to me. From the time I was old enough to walk, I think a tree must’ve been the first place I ventured towards on my own. Trees, to me, symbolize shelter, strength, hope, peace, friendship, and love. There were many times when I was growing up that I didn’t have a human friend, so I turned to nature, which was always present no matter where I was. I moved around a lot when I was younger, but nearly every house we moved to had at least one good climbing tree. And back in those days, that was the first thing I’d do. I’d scope out a tree to climb, and it became my haven for the rest of the time we lived there. I loved pretending it was my own private place where nobody could find me, and for the most part, nobody seemed to take any notice of me when I was nestled deep in the branches of my tree. I could hide all day and read up there. Sometimes, my cat would climb up and sit in my lap, and then we’d lay back and watch the clouds drift along or listen to the birds sing their sweet songs. Sometimes, even the soft rustle of the leaves would lull me to sleep. And so began my love for any tree with boughs large enough to hold a small girl.

Now that I’m older, I still have a great fondness for trees, but I live in the middle of a desert where there are hardly any trees at all. And isn’t it funny that I chose such a barren place to live when all my life, I’ve wanted nothing more than to live in a forest full of trees? Thankfully, I only need to travel a short distance to find a few parks with some lovely trees, but it isn’t the same as having one in my very own backyard. And so, I think that’s one reason why I decided to sculpt a tree for my first attempt at paper sculpting. Trees soothe my spirit, and I think they make a home feel more like a home. I think that’s exactly what I needed in this desolate place where I’ve decided to live out the rest of my days. And so, you’ll likely be seeing more trees from me in the future as I progress on this sculpting journey. Tomorrow, I will be back to share more about the inspiration for this first project. Until then, be well, and if you’re lonely, go out and hug a tree for me since there aren’t too many around here.

Love you guys… ~Ellie xoxo