Roe Islet Trees – Pender Island, BC, Canada

Roe Islet has some amazing trees. They twist and bend, and cling to the edge of the islet leaning over the sea.

Over the last few months I have photographed many of Roe Islet’s trees with an aim to use them as subject matter for paintings. A hand full of paintings have been completed, some very tiny (4″x6″), with the largest to date being 24″x24″.

I’ve been getting a feel for the trees. Looking at the shapes and the shadows and how the color changes with different light.

The low warm light on this January afternoon made for rich and lively colors, with the red tones being more pronounced. The lack of leaves allows you to see the tangle of branches, and the confusion they have in knowing which direction to grow.

I’ll share some paintings soon, paintings inspired by these trees. Some paintings still need photographing, some are waiting for the files to be color balanced, while others still need a name (the hardest part). Once that is done, I can paint more trees!