A Family Tree of Trees
A family of Trees.
Years ago I came across this really great passage in a book of essays called ‘Conjunctions and Disjunctions’, by the Mexican poet Octavio Paz. It goes-
“The radiant health of their bodies is natural, with the somewhat heavy solidity of mountains and the slow grace of broad rivers. They are natural, civilized beings: there is immense courtesy in their powerful sensuality and their passion is peaceful. They are planted like trees– except that they are trees that smile. No other civilization has created such complete and such perfect images of Earthy joy.”
I think it’s one of the best passages I’ve ever read. Shortly after this, I read ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ by Zora Neale Hurston. There was a really great passage in that story too that caught my imagination, it goes-
“Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone. Dawn and doom were in the branches”.
Whenever I think about the smiling trees of Octavio Paz I also think about Janie’s life as a great tree in leaf, and I also think about the Jolly Green Giant. Specifically the advertising art from the 1970’s. The character is so gentle, lush, and verdant.
All three of these associations came together by chance, and I find it really cool that it made a kind of constellation in my imagination. All three points of reference link up into a new creation, a link across time and space. Now I’m making fun, smiling trees because of it, and it’s imbued with narrative.
I know this sounds grandiose, but it’s fun to think I was lucky enough for my brain to pan them out like beautiful gems, and have their impression left on me. The same way a fossil’s impression is left on rocks, and how the human mind leaves impressions as well regardless of past and future.
Anyways, these passages inspired me greatly to create Snail Club. They’re so simply written, and yet so imaginative, encouraging, and beautiful. I wanted to create something wholesome and encouraging for myself too.
