Twisted Trees show extended to March 24th!
Twisted Trees at Julie’s Coffee & Tea Garden
1223 Park Street, Alameda, CA
Twisted Trees Show by Denise Cicuto
denisecicuto.com
I have a love for trees, especially ones that are
twisted or burnt. The larger trees featured in this show
are ancient Bristlecone pines, which are some of the oldest
living beings on Earth. The smaller ones are various trees
and shrubs from across the Eastern Sierra.
We are welcoming in the Year of the Wood Snake*. As an
acupuncturist, I can tell you a few things about the Wood element, which are represented with these tree photographs.
Wood is one of the five elements - Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Not only can we
see the energy of these elements all around us in nature, we also carry their energies
within ourselves. Wood is the energy of Spring and new beginnings. It guides us in our dreams and visions.
It helps us stay flexible in mind and body. Wood is about resilience—it motivates us to get
out the door, stay active, and make changes in our lives. The energy of this element helps
us envision a world we want to live in and stand up for what we believe in.
With this body of work, I call on resilience.
The Bristlecone pines have withstood centuries on our planet. The smaller burnt trees and
shrubs are still standing, even though it has been a few years since the fire. The trees give
me hope that we are strong, we can resist. We can envision the future we want to live in
and move towards it together.
(Self-portrait by Denise. She is wearing all black, with a wide-brimmed hat, sitting in a salt flat in Death Valley near sunset.)
*For more info, please read my teacher Dr. Maoshing Ni’s yearly Chinese horoscopes at
taostar.com.
