The Giving Tree

Last summer I received a call from my church. The Stewardship Committee was planning for their fall campaign  - it's the time of year for us all to review our financial commitments to our parish. They had hoped to NOT have a 'giving thermometer' this year, but would love to have a large bare tree. The idea was that when someone made a pledge, they would add a leaf to the tree...hopefully to fill the tree with leaves!

So, the call came with a request - would I paint a large tree? OK, I said yes...

When the time came, several weeks later... I wasn't sure just how to do this. I had not painted anything that large since I had done murals on the nursery wall for one of my first granddaughters! (she is now 20)

This tree was supposed to be 5 feet tall!

I finally figured out that I could use two sheets of foam core and tape them together - this would be lightweight and easy to transport. I used strips of wood and some clamps and set up my 'canvas.'

I am mainly a watercolor painter, but this was form core - not watercolor paper. Watercolor paint is so transparent that it didn't look right...and it also washes off.  I experimented with watercolor and acrylic paints...  I found that I kept painting like I was using watercolor even when I was using acrylic! 

I finally discovered that if I put the watercolor paint on thick, it would work... so I began...

A few more branches, some more detail on the tree trunk and some ground...

When it dried, I sprayed it with some fixative so the watercolor would not wash off!

It's now at church and has begun to collect leaves! It turned out to be a fun project!