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I should say, Mankind's Best Friends as they make summer bearable, they clean and cool the air, protect the earth, sweeten the air with their blossoms, provide homes to birds, insects, squirrels, and all sorts of creatures, and feed them, and us as humans as well. Their stately, interesting and diverse forms bring interest to the landscape and become beloved gathering places in homes and parks.

This year I decided to really explore painting the trees that inspire me, and one wall of my shared studio is now full of my appreciation for their beauty.

My favorite trees, here along the southeastern coast, are: the great Live Oaks, with their huge spreading limbs that are home to Spanish Moss, tree ferns, lichens, creatures and birds of all sorts, the tall Bald Cypress with their feathery frond-like leaves, fascinating bark and “Cypress knees” that rise up out of the ground, that grow around lakes, rivers and swamps; the towering Long Leaf Pines with hints of purple and lavender in their long trunks that reflect rose and orange colors in the late sun; the dogwoods, with their floating blossoms that seem to soar and fly among the trees nearby; and, of course, the majestic magnolias - Grandifloras - with the fragrant huge white flowers - each one a soloist in a tree full of divas. Lastly, the Japanese Maples that do really well here and grace the local Arboretum with their brilliant red leaves in the fall.

So, putting my money where my mouth is (and hopefully not where my paint brush is) any time I sell a painting that features trees, I will donate a portion of it to The Arbor Day Foundation – which is dedicated to planting millions of trees all over the planet to help save it, and bring comfort, shade and food sources to neighborhoods in need. I recommend you look them up online for more information.

Please check out my Landscapes section of my website - jessicawickenart.com - If you are interested in one of my paintings, email me for prices. Thank you.