STUMPS

The Shaman Stumps – The Wise Ones of Our Forests

Everything began with birch trees. I have been observing them for years, as I have felt that some of them greet me. I experience a strong connection with certain birches, especially a silver birch (Betula pendula) growing outside my kitchen window. Over the past year, I have made notes and drawings of this tree.

I am involved in the Gifts from the Sentient Forest project, an international collaboration between the University of Lapland Finland and the University of Notre Dame Australia. The project brings together art and science and is funded by the Kone Foundation as part of the Forests side project.

https://www.sentientforestproject.com

During the project, I became increasingly interested in tree stumps. Thanks to Dr. Francis Joy, who taught us how to “read” trees, I began to understand that stumps hold knowledge and can be seen as wise beings

— like shamans of the forest.

The works in the exhibition are mainly created using inks I have made from plants. I have been studying plant-based inks for three summers at Muhu Kunstitalu, an artist residency of the Estonian Artists’ Association. Most of the inks originate from the nature of Muhu.