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.