During my preliminary meditation with Jamie, I connected a vision of tree roots intertwining themselves like spider webs within my core. Not in a trapped, stuck, or captured way, but in a complex network of primal earthiness.
To honor this vision we decided to take images with my “hero tree” in front of my house. I protect this tree with all my heart not just because I love trees but because it saved my home during a big storm resulting in the flooding of the river. The raging river filled to the brim and then went around the hero tree instead of straight through my home. The tree’s roots are exposed on the side of the gulch as a result of the flooding symbolizing her vulnerability but also her strength, perseverance, and survival. Hero Tree is the setting of the image.
I collected mud from different sources around my house the day before, then made a nice thick sticky muddy concoction. I was initially hesitant to use mud because I’m generally tactile sensitive but the wild woman within took over in a wonderful way. The earthy smell of mud in hand brought out a primal and playful impulse to cover my entire being. I then crawled up underneath the hero tree, absorbed her energy and felt a deeply loving and protective connection. Jamie captured the true essence of everything I was feeling and experiencing. I felt the vulnerability but also my strength, perseverance, and survival. I truly became one with my hero.
Jamie had my back, and she had a vision that aligned beautifully with mine. She made me feel comfortable to honor my true self, and the resulting images capture what I was feeling. I will cherish this image forever.
Michelle of Wild Women Hawai’i
with RAW photographer Jamie Nease
Comments