Building a forest.

Finding healing with other survivors, together in our trees.

I started making trees in 2020 as I was processing my Mother’s death and for the first time in my life dealing with my childhood trauma, sexual abuse.  Grief and trauma were so entangled that I often couldn’t separate them. I just poured all my emotions into the clay. My Mom loved trees. I connected with her through the trees.  My first piece was “Fire Circle” and from there, I just kept going. Trees became my vehicle of expression.

In 2022, I had a conversation with fellow survivor and writer, Donna Jenson of Time To Tell, about my trees. She was encouraging me to keep sharing my story and my trees. She commented how common it is to hear other survivors talk about “their trees”, their hiding places from the abuse. She asked if that was why I made trees.

No. I came to trees through grief after the death of my Mom. After my conversation with Donna, I began to think about my tree. Where did I hide? I too, had a tree.

My art has been a powerful part of my healing journey. It’s a space where I can go to process my feelings, get them out in clay and truly be happy. I have always wanted to find a way to share this with other survivors.

My conversation with Donna led me to creating the Survivor Forest. My first two collaborators were Donna Jenson and Jen Marie. My first few trees we met individually about their writing and when they were complete I headed off to the studio to create it in clay. The process of writing their own story is healing but to then create in clay is a visual reminder that their story was also heard. It is a true collaboration.

I now host Survivor Forest writing circles where together we write and share. As each participant completes their tree story they share it with the group. Then I begin to create it clay.

Check out my recent first exhibition of the Survivor Forest!