Bent, but not yet broken

The inspiration for this painting came from a protea tree that had over the years been bent over a rock by the prevailing wind. There had been a fire which left the tree charred and the landscape bare, revealing the scattered rocks. I worked off a photograph initially but put it aside as soon as I had the lines drawn in. From there it took on a life of its own. The mountains in the background became like two giant waves about to break into the valley. The rock over which the tree was bent took on the form of a skull or giant tooth. The red tree symbolises myself: bent, but not yet broken.