Restorative Justice Singing Tree
Mother Tree Art Call
What art medium is used to create this artwork?
Acrylic on luan plywood with colored pencil on paper glued with acrylic gloss medium. 8' x 16'. Co-created with 12 youth volunteers over 11-months in a Leadership Training, Peace Building Through Art program.
Share with us the story or poem connected with your submitted artwork. Max 300 words.
The Mother Tree supports the life around her. Oakland, CA's commitment to be a Restorative Justice City is how the Mother Tree functions. Not punishment, but compassionate healing. This is Oakland, CA's logo - the Oak Tree. The process of creating the painting wasn't a lone person working in isolation. The painting was created in community. The Mother Tree sustains community. Youth led this co-creation. The Mother Tree treasures the young. The youth were from El Salvador, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, China, Mexico. The Mother Tree nurtures diversity. Africa is honored as the birthplace of human life. The Sankofa bird faces the future and looks back to the past for wisdom. The Mother Tree supports the winged ones. The leaves tell stories of harm repaired and healed. The birds tell stories of dreams for a positive future. The Beloved Community is celebrated, each human portrayed in their unique beauty. The Mother Tree is complex, diverse, mysterious and filled with love and possibility.
