Oil on canvas, 20″ x 16″

Sovereign Hazelnut

One day in late Summer, while wandering deep in the forest,
I came upon a small sheltered hollow with this Hazelnut bush nestled within it,
beautifully expressing herself in the form of an elegant, life-affirming, Fleur-de-Lys. 

I heard her call out “Paint me!” loud and clear. And so I have answered the call.

It was her exuberance that first caught my attention, as she bursts forth with gusto from the understory.
Then as I sat with her, in contemplation, wondering how best I might portray this delightful being who was asking so prettily to be immortalized in paint . . . I saw the Fleur-de-Lys shape that she is creating in her world,
and the painting took form in my mind.

Looking into the symbolism of the Fleur-de-Lys I learn that its origin is lost in the mists of time,
but it has primarily endured as signifying Sovereignty.
Sovereignty and Purity.
And in my perception of this noble Hazel, she radiates precisely that, as she stands proud,
deep within the forest on the mountainside, living her life on her own terms.
She seems to hold herself in high esteem; elegant mistress of her domain.

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Hazel is associated with wisdom, inspiration and creativity in ancient Celtic lore. Intuition and divination are also listed as its attributes; the branches being used traditionally as divining rods for finding water. 
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It’s the Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) that grows here in the forests of Interior British Columbia, Canada. A many-stemmed shrub growing up to 12 feet high, they can live for over 50 years. Tiny red spiky flowers and long catkins are seen in the Spring. A multitude of hazelnuts (filberts) is produced in the Autumn, highly prized by squirrels.
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First Nations peoples harvested the nuts, and used the strong, dense yet flexible wood for arrows, basketry, fencing and tool-making.