The forest world in L’Atelier de Santi

The trees in L’Atelier de Santi

The forest world and the trees have been a reason for my watercolors. It was on a hot summer afternoon, on the banks of the Alberche, that I found a large eucalyptus. I carried my watercolors to make field notes. My first intention was a smaller plant, the jara with its white flowers. But, after the encounter with the freshness of that tree, the eucalyptus and regardless of its suitability in that landscape, the jara could wait for another later session.

The inspiration of the trees

Then, after this meeting, I decided to “interview” with more trees. I looked for more models for my watercolors on trees. My attention to these formidable beings became obsessive in my walks on the roads. I was selecting candidates from the forestry world for future sessions if at the right time I did not carry the watercolors. With a first descriptive intention for each species, I looked for specimens that, due to their size and environment, were representative of their species. But then he also sought to create a landscape and composition related to the tree environment and its circumstances.

Circumstances that again, as in other sessions with other reasons, give rise to a virtual conversation with the model. In this case a tree, which becomes a “Treebeard” (Fangorn), Tolkien’s character. How many well-established and rooted arguments on earth emerged in these conversations about and with the forest world. Tolkien’s apocalyptic vision of much of human civilization towards its own environment is becoming sadly real.

As it is a distortion to attribute vegetative character to everything that is moderately inactive, passive or almost inert. Recent studies discover a human-like life pulpit in trees. These vegetal beings do not have legs to move, but they hide a vital activity no less intense. The difference is in the “rhythm”, so we cannot appreciate this different quality of life from the forest world and, in general, from plant life.

The forest world and civilization

Until now there has been an unpaid relationship between man and the plant world. Through agriculture, gardening, and even pharmacology, the human being has used the plant world. Not only to survive. Also to prosper and improve in their way of life. But beings in the plant world also use other living things for their most basic needs.

But hopeful studies are coming to light for a real alliance between the human being and the tree. studies that explain how the plant world, and in particular the forest world, works in an orderly and “civilized” way. They have communication systems between their individuals and very sophisticated and effective groups. With alliances between different species and fauna that are a reference for a healthy and peaceful existence. and that, naturally, there is a healthy and balanced competition in the plant world. Often a competition based on mutual use, symbiosis and parasitism.

The communication between trees

Trees and their relationships with habitat have been a reason for extensive studies. A student of the forest world has been and is Francis Hallé, which has revealed to us what until now were secrets of the forest world. In communication and collaboration with fellow biologists they have come to discover in the intricate forest ecosystem and very sophisticated relationships between these beings. As they themselves do, trees can arrive to communicate and inform themselves about weather, hazards, other congeners, etc. And for not extending, the latest discoveries point to the existence of an underground, underground, neural system, related to root networks in the forest world. Something apparently very basic compared to the Network of networks that is the Internet. But precisely because of its natural simplicity it is a reason for observation and learning

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The vegetable sculpture in L’Atelier de Santi