Trees of Life

Artist Romola Parish, an ordinand in the Bro Teifi LMA, describes the inspirations behind her recent exhibition in Llansteffan Church

The creative arts are my languages of faith through which I explore aspects of faith not yet understood. The pieces exhibited in the exhibition are unusual and provocative. They navigate the liminal space between spiritualities, between humans and nature, and between Christ and Creation.

There are many ways in which the pieces may be read and understood so they build connections between different perceptions of God and the environment. The blurred boundary between pre- and non-Christian and Christian mythologies and beliefs is bridged by pieces inspired by the Green Man, envisioned as both the spirit of creation, and as Yggdrasil, the Norse world tree. The incorporation of organic material - moss, ivy, brambles and withies - connects the created art with the natural world that it represents.

The Dreaming Rood, a 2.5m tall textile sculpture was inspired by the Bleeding Yews in the churchyard at Nevern and by literature, such as the Anglo-Saxon poem The Dream of the Rood that tells the story of the crucifixion from the point of view of the Cross. It is both human and tree, reflecting the presence of God in His creation, and the redemption by Christ of both creation and humankind.

Trees of Life is a travelling exhibition, available to churches across the diocese and beyond. If you are interested in hosting it, please contact Romola via her blog: https://romolablog.wordpress.com