The Sacred Lives of Trees serves to draw attention to the contribution of trees to our wellness and healing.
The lives of trees mirror our own lives as we encounter storms that give rise to twisting, scarring and deprivation of nurture. Yet, given time and more favourable circumstances we can come right again.
As with trees, our return to a state of elegance and grace takes time. The natural world is never suddenly in a perfect state after a shock to its system or a period of disarray. Similarly with ourselves it takes time to heal and grow.
"As an artist, I'm committed to putting nature and simplicity centre stage along my path to authenticity."
Art of Caroline Cunningham
What People Are Saying About Trees
During The Sacred Lives ofTrees exhibitions, I gave my viewers the opportunity to express how they felt about trees. It was athe first time I heard people expressing their own personal love of trees, the healing effects of their forest walks and their expressions of gratitude and joy.
"The natural world is never suddenly in a perfect state after a shock to its system or a period of disarray. Similarly with ourselves it takes time to heal and grow."
Caroline Cunningham, Artist
Keep the Tree Conversation Alive
My message about the wellbeing benefits of trees has travelled far and wide. My followers often send me tree related articles. Some send photos of their favourite trees. One follower invited me to be included in a private video (shared only amongst their best friends) featuring a photo of each one hugging a tree.
I’m not the first to start this conversation about trees and I won’t be the last, I’m simply helping people to raise the volume on their thoughts so that these conversations about trees will gather momentum for the benefit of more people on our planet.
The rituals associated with weddings are as old as the Pyramids, let's take a look at this life-giving gift that makes our world go around.
Ancient Rituals of Wedding Gifting:
The middle ages are famous for the barganing of land, animals & metals in exchange for strategic marriages between kingdoms and clans, but did you know that these rituals go as far back as the Code of Hammurabi in 1780 B.C.E.?
The payment of a bride price or dowry remained strong in many cultures but by the late 1800's a new trend had emerged. It had become customary for gifts to be provided by guests who were deemed worthy of an invite to the auspicious celebration.
The tradition of the wedding registry (wedding list) originated in 1924 when the famed US Macy's department store introduced it as a savvy marketing strategy, one which was swiftly adopted worldwide.
Curated gift lists meant couples could receive gifts they actually desired or needed. This was particularly useful when couples had not previously lived together and were about to set up a home.
Symbolic, Timeless & Elegant Gifts
In modern times, despite the growing trend of gifting money, choosing the perfect wedding gift is an important consideration symbolising the special occasion of marriage.
Timeless and elegant wedding gifts are a token of respect to families and recognise the importance of the givers relations with the bride or groom.
With this in mind, I present my own Wedding List to help you choose the perfect timeless and elegant gift, one that will provide colour and inspiration throughout the lives of the happy couple and keep your relations with them in high esteem.
Ganga Dreaming
Limited Edition Print from Indian Heart Way Collection
Wedding Gifts by Art of Caroline
The artwork in this list is specially curated to help you to choose the perfect wedding gift that will have pride of place in the homes of the newly weds, ensuring that your gift will be treasured throughout their lifetime. The artwork you choose can be the entirety of your gift or you may choose to purchase an art piece to accompany your cash gift.
Paintings from The Sacred Lives of Trees Collection (€180 - €500)
Paintings from €145 to €250
Miniature Paintings €80
Limited Edition Prints €70 - €130
Paintings from The Sacred Lives of Trees Collection
Brighten Your Home With Affordable Miniature Paintings
Fed up looking at the same dreary walls and decor every day? I have a low effort way to change things up without too much cost.
Miniature Colour Solutions
My mniature paintings are an affordable way to add colour and inspiration to your home or work space.
Check out my virtual popup shop, filmed from my kitchen to get a flavour of my work. Choose from a wide variety of paintings, prints, limited editions and books. See something you like, get in touch and it can soon be yours.
Make your lover feel extra special this Valentine's Day by gifting them an art piece on the theme of love. And if you don't currently have a luscious lover stashed in the wings, let's celebrate that which permeates us all.
Love is all around us, when we open our hearts to its revitalising energy amazing things can happen in our lives.
I've curated art work for gifting this Valentine's.
ART PICKS FOR VALENTINES
1. Kiss on the Liffey (Painting)
The hal’penny bridge over Dublin’s river Liffey has captured the hearts of many lovers, whose kisses over the liffey have inspired this painting from my imagination.
Click image for full details.
Kiss on the Liffey | Acrylic on Canvas
2. Loves Light Upon Us
Love’s Light Upon Us represents a moment of beauty and grace. Add this gentle reminder to your home or gift it to the special person in your life.
Click image for full details.
Loves Light Upon Us | Limited Edition Print (Giclee)
3. Tango Tree
A touch of tango romance nature style perfect for your lover or your fabulous self. With this art piece you have so much choice in terms of its format.
Order a print in the size you prefer or a customised lifestyle gift and keep within your specific budget too.
Click image for full details.
Tango Tree | Open Edition Print
4. The Gift of Poetry
The Whisperings of Nature has many lines referring to the love that's found all around us.
"Love follows love when it's not hard to find' from my poem" | A Lover.
The Whisperings of Nature | Caroline Cunningham
Woo your lover this Valentine with the gift of poetry.
Click image for full details.
Discover a wider selection of arty gift options by visiting my online gallery. Allow me to assist you with your art choice and any queries you may have.
Join me in the Shaw Room of Carlow Library (2019) from October 1st to 11th October for my exhibition 'From the Ocean to the Tree',celebrating nature's influence on our capacity to feel well.
"Featuring colourful tree paintings from 'The Sacred Lives of Trees' and 'My Portugal' collections."
Art of Caroline
Art Honours Nature
Prior to my launch of 'The Sacred Lives of Tree's' I had never heard people openly discuss how they felt about trees.
Feelings expressed by many visitors to my exhibition were echoed by my on-line network of business community and friends.
Tree's provide comfort in times of lonliness and stress, they allow us to restore a connection within and to a greater source.
In keeping with this theme of nature and wellbeing, I've added some scenes influenced by time spent in Portugal in recent years.
The ocean is also a source of restoration and inspiration. Many people living in the Algarve referred to the healing energy of the water which is so refreshing after a long day working in the summer heat.
Exhibition | Summer 2018 | Why We Need Art in Carlow Town
Artists in Carlow are keeping the dream alive with a summer art exhibition in the heart of town. Every Saturday in July 2018, Carlovians and tourists will have the opportunity to view and purchase artwork produced by local artists.
Thanks to artist Elwira Bernaciak for volunteering to curate and organise this show on behalf of the group 'Why We Need Art'.
Exhibition Details
Visit us at 2 Dublin Street, near the junction of Tullow St and Castle Street.
Be inspired by colourful and creative artwork during July and meet the artists.
In addition, Carlow town has a lot to offer by way of shopping, heritage, nature trails and scenery. The glacial hills of Killeshin make a stunning backdrop against the outline of our ancient castle while you rest along the Barrow in the company of swans.
Caroline Cunningham Carlow Artist
Add Colour Inspiration to Your Life
My art speaks of the awakening of dreams, this is why we need art. I love vibrant colours and the freedom of allowing imagination to seep through reality.
Keep your dreams alive with a piece of art that speaks to you. Choose from landscapes, trees, travel scenes from countries such as India and Portugal.
There are lots of options; original paintings in a variety of sizes and a range of prints including some limited editions.
Explore my gallery, see something you like, get in touch, make it yours today!
Do you rememeber the Shaw’s radio advert from years ago? The one with the catch-phrase ‘Shaws – almost nationwide’, that one.
Well, they're no longer 'almost' they are fully nationwide. And now, I too can claim to be nationwide after my feature on the RTE series of that title. It's fitting then, that my art is being displayed in Shaw's windows during this year’s Carlow Arts Festival (2018).
Shaw’s is a family owned business in its fourth generation since Henry Shaw first opened its doors in 1864. Many Carlovians have grown up with Shaw’s department store being at the heart of their shopping experience.
Nationwide team Helen and Paul with Caroline Cunningham
Nationwide Artist in 2018
In October 2018, following the publication of my book ‘Seven C’s to Calm – Reclaiming your Anxiety-free Self’, I was featured on RTE’s Nationwide, a popular prime-time television show-casing news-worthy story’s from around Ireland.
Thanks to reporter Helen McInerney, my artwork was featured along with my books and reflexology therapy.
Thanks also to Shaw’s department store in Carlow for their kind invitation to exhibit my art work once again in their window on Tullow Street, during the Carlow Arts Festival 2018.
The pieces on display will be mostly from my art collection entitled ‘The Sacred Lives of Trees’ which many are familiar with from my exhibits at Carlow Library and beyond.
Explore my artwork in the interest of feeding your dreams and keeping them alive. Discover landscapes, trees, inspiration from travels in India and Portugal.
Choose from original paintings in a variety of sizes or a range of prints including some limited editions. See something you like, get in touch and make it yours.
‘Who are in the men in tree?’ A busy exhibition opening night had come to a close and a few of my friends were awaiting an answer to this question. Seeing my puzzled expression, they beckoned me to stand before my ‘Treedom Series 3' painting.
Inspired by a very old and majestic beech tree anchored at my home-place, Treedom had pride of place as part of my collection ‘The Sacred Lives of Trees’.
This particular Treedom had been cast in a very spontaneous moment of splashing and merging of paint. I had studied the tree many times throughout the seasons, watching the sun-light traversing its branches as autumn spun into winter. Treedom 1 and 2 had been more meticulous in my measurement of colours. ‘Treedom 3’ came like an avalanche to the canvas.
"Treedom 3’ came like an avalanche to the canvas."
My friends had been quietly observing the piece from across the room during my opening event. They pointed our the many faces and bodies of men peering from the branches of the tree. As I took a closer look they began to emerge. In truth, I hadn't noticed them before.
I've experienced things in my lifetime that point towards the unseen world which none can successfully identify or explain. Is there another realm that we cannot see except in dreams and trances and in creative passage?
I leave you to ponder it all. How many faces do you see in Treedom?
My art is an expression of stories that awaken dreams and keep them alive. I love vibrant colours and the freedom of allowing imagination to seep through reality.
Explore my artwork in the interest of feeding your own dreams and keeping them alive. Discover landscapes, trees, scenes from lands such as India and Portugal. Choose from original paintings in a variety of sizes or a range of prints including some limited editions.
See something you like, get in touch and make it yours.
Creative events during autumn 2018 in Carlow town, brought to you by Caroline Cunningham.
event
Autumn Leaves and Dreams Venue: The Shaw Room, Carlow Library
September 29th to October 6th 2018
Art of Caroline:
View my artwork inspired by nature and dreams on a theme of well-being and simplicity. Explore original paintings from The Sacred Lives of Trees, including a selection of limited edition prints, books and greetings cards.
Wellness Workshop:
I'l be providing a self-care workshop designed to support people who live with the discomfort and restrictions of anxiety. I'll be out-lineing the ‘Seven C’s to Calm’ as per my book of the same title.
"Art and creativity are as important as the bees for our continued survival."
An Art Client’s Comment
An Evening of Poetry & Singing
To finish week of creative events, I provide an evening of songs in the Irish and English language, along with poetry from my book The Whisperings of Nature.
Thank You to Carlow Library
My creative and wellness events have been offered free of charge to allow the public the opportunity to sample and benefit from my work. I'm a self-funded artist and have been very fortunate to have the support of Carlow Library who've generously provided me with a beautiful space to host my creative events. By purchasing my art work and books you allow me to continue on this creative path of giving to others.
My art is an expression of stories that awaken dreams and keep them alive. I love vibrant colours and the freedom of allowing imagination to seep through reality.
Explore my artwork in the interest of feeding your own dreams and keeping them alive. You'll find landscapes, trees, scenes from lands such as India and Portugal. Choose from original paintings in a variety of sizes or a range of prints including some limited editions.
See something you like, get in touch, make it yours!
Glengarriff, an Irish village steeped in charm, beauty and heritage, with a unique tropical micro-climate favouring trees and plants not commonly found in Ireland. It also boasts a thriving oak wood forest park.
I adore the benevolence and comforting presence of trees. Weaving my way amongst the palms, bamboos and luscious plants of the town's Bamboo Garden, I was in my element.
Every branch, trunk and stump called out to be absorbed, photographed and preserved. Within me a seed was being sown.
Bamboo Garden, Glengarriff, Co. Cork | Ireland
"This was the moment when I knew I would make tree paintings."
Art of Caroline Cunningham
Discovering Loves Light
On a stone, beneath the canopy, I discovered two little leaves alight with a bursting stream of sunlight. Despite signs of decay setting in, they appeared glorious in the golden light.
This was the moment when I knew I would make tree paintings.
'Loves Light Upon Us; is my signature painting from The Sacred Lives of Trees collection, honouring trees as a source of wisdom, comfort and inspiration.
The original painting has been claimed. However, limited edition prints are available from my online gallery shop.
Choose this art piece as a lovely addition to your home or as a thoughtful gift for a loved one.
Their shape, the movement of their lines, it's part of what captures my imagination when observing the beauty of trees. Their twists and turns, their stretchings out of tall exuberant branches, there’s a story in every nook and hollow of a tree. They reveal a body language of their own.
I also love that science provides deeper tales of the lives of trees and the conditions they’ve experienced.
There's so much to be discovered by being present with nature, which is precisely why I love being amongst trees.
Tree Therapy
When stress and anxiety have settled in, being present takes more practice. Finding soothing company in people is not always possible as so many are filled with stresses of their own. Relief is a necessary thing.
Being amongst trees provides lessons in living gracefully. They are an intelligent system of which we are a part. They're strongly rooted to the earth while cleansing our atmosphere with their style of breathing in and out. Amongst trees I nurture a sense of balance, security and the restoration of energy.
My painting 'Altamont Tree' is inspired by a tree near the lake in Altamont Gardens, outside Tullow, Co. Carlow. It's part of the collection of paintings called 'The Sacred Lives of Trees'.
While the original painting has been claimed, it's possible to avail of a limited edition giclee print. Visit my online gallery shop to find out the exact details and to place your order.
Trees are constantly moving in unison with the wind, the minerals of the soil, the light of the sun and the earth's water. They clench the soil and reach into the heavens while witnessing every moment of Earth's revolution. They provide shelter and homes. They may blossom and wither, always following the course of their natural design.
I created The Sacred Lives of Trees art collection to honour trees for their contribution to my wellbeing and to encourage more people to express the benefits they receive from trees. I've come to regard trees as individuals, each with a character of their own.
"Reminiscent of dancers, great warriors and benevolent souls, trees are evidence of how the unseen forces of Nature lend shape and character to our being."
Many of my tree paintings reside in homes in Ireland and beyond. There are a few remainng originals to choose from, along with a selection of open and limited edition prints to enliven your home or work space with colour and healing inspiration.
Visit the on-line gallery to select your favourite piece. If you have a query about your selection I’m here to help.
