ROOTS BENEATH US

Original watercolor painting inspired by Icelandic birches and the unseen strength beneath us.

…..

There is something deeply human about trees.

Perhaps because they remind us that strength is not always visible.
Some of the most important things in life grow quietly beneath the surface long before they can ever be seen above the ground.

This watercolor painting was inspired by Icelandic birches — trees that survive in conditions where many others would struggle to grow. Wind, cold, volcanic soil, long winters. Yet they remain.

The birch does not fight nature by force.
It bends. Adjusts. Endures.

And beneath the earth, its roots grow deeper.

While painting this piece, I kept thinking about how similar people can be.
We all carry invisible roots within us. Sometimes they come from family, memories, old wounds, or traditions passed through generations. Sometimes they appear as courage during moments when we are uncertain what comes next.

The deeper roots are often the ones nobody else can see.

Living in Iceland, I have also noticed something beautiful about birches here — they rarely stand completely alone. Many grow close together, their branches leaning gently toward one another as if they are sharing shelter against the wind.

Above the ground, they appear separate.
Below the ground, they are connected.

That quiet connection became an important part of this painting.

In autumn, the birch lets its leaves fall so it can draw strength back into its roots during the darkest season. And when spring returns, it awakens once more — offering branches for birds returning home after winter and sheltering new life before its own leaves have even appeared.

There is something deeply moving in that kind of quiet resilience.

Perhaps the greatest strength in our lives is not the one visible on the surface.
Perhaps it lives hidden within roots no one else can see.

Because some things do not grow upward first.
They must grow deep before they can rise.

 

Kate