Trees take centre stage in my watercolour painting Foliage Church IV. They appear not simply as elements of nature, but as symbolic forms connecting the visible and invisible worlds.
The roots reach into the subconscious, into instinct and an existence rooted in the earth. The trunk symbolises the journey and upward movement, while the canopy is a realm of spiritual elevation and light. In the lower part of the painting, earth-toned roots evoke the fragmented structure of a cathedral’s stained-glass window. Above, boundaries dissolve as a bright, divine light emerges through the foliage.
For me, the Foliage Churches series does not depict specific places. These are inner landscapes — spaces of peace and stillness.
In my creative process, I approach nature not only as a subject, but also as a space for direct experience. I often feel a stronger sense of the sacred in natural surroundings, in their quiet, irregular perfection, than in architectural spaces made by human hands. This is a series of spiritual watercolour paintings inspired by nature.
The series draws deeply on East Asian visual traditions, particularly Japanese woodblock prints and Chinese ink painting. Intentional empty space therefore plays an important role in these works. The white areas are not unfinished passages: they are breathing spaces where the gaze can rest.
Foliage Church IV is thus more than a depiction of a woodland landscape. It is an invitation to pause, turn inward and reconnect.
An original watercolour painting on paper, combined with pencil.
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