'Contemplation'

Art Statement

Nature weathers wood in beautiful and mysterious ways. Her elements carve, etch, bleach and twist branches into sculptural works of art. This image of a woman is a personification of the beauty found in the exquisite forms of nature. Her hair is inspired by the Tasmanian Pencil Pine (Athrotaxis Cupressoides) which grow in the highlands, typically twisted and gnarled, adapted to harsh conditions. Her tattoo of a stylised Pencil Pine depicts the root system, the budding needles through to the tiny cones of the hardy tree. Wood in nature often reveal traces of tattoos from tiny insects burrowing into the surface creating intricate looping designs. In so many ways we share our characteristics with trees. We often forget our connection to nature and are sometimes reminded of our shared vulnerability to the ravages of time, weathering, hardships and the strength of unity when we remember our oneness with all life.

- Fiona Francois -

Fiona photographing the Tasmanian Pencil Pine used for reference

Tasmanian Pencil Pine in Mt Field National Park