Old Flame
This Canadian Maple Tree was created for the1998 Nelson Wearable Art Show (New Zealand):
Age and Beauty: perceptions of the older generation
The Canadian Maple Tree in full fall regalia is one of the most beautiful sites to adorn this waning season. As we shift into the twilight of winter, this symbol of the majestic beauty of our country gives us a reason to look forward to greater things.
Sculptured entirely out of leather, this old gnarled tree, to me, is the complex embodiment of how we should view our aging population.
Old and mishappened, with dead limbs and an often hollow trunk, it’s still leafy crown is a reminder that things are not always what they seem, and that the twilight of life is glorious.
Crippled and hollow, it is home to a fox, who finds a secure, perhaps unexpected place to shelter in.
The dead limb, held up by a cane, symbolizes support for all!
The camouflaged crown Is a nest, a haven for our feathered friends, although in many instances a crown of thorns might be appropriate for this generation.
There are also many lichens and mosses that grow on an old tree, usually in the lee of the wind, protected from the elements, nurturing and sustaining themselves from the still vigorous body within.
The exquisite vibrancy of the turning leaves also hides what is probably the most important aspect of life, the millions of seeds it produces to ensure future generations. (artistic license here about the wrong season)
The branch itself is also a sword. It is the defense and power that the tree holds on its grasp.
2026 additional interpretation
Canada is not an old country, but this in artistic interpretation of our national symbol, “Old Flame”, identifying the attributes about aging, also defines us.
Throughout the centuries many cultures have forged Canada’s creation.
With differences and conflicts, acceptance and unity, it has become the hallmark of a great nation, worldwide.
