"For the Colourful Tree series, I worked plein air in our garden studying the same oak tree for many years, seven in the end. I gave myself permission to paint this tree in any colour or new way that I wanted to and started a dialogue with myself that informed each mark and colour. I asked the simple question 'how would you like to paint that bit?' and then waited for the answer. It was very specific when it came.
In this process, the trees became a vehicle, and the process has become another subject. One of the new themes I recognise is that the tree form is a vehicle for rhythm. That pulsing rhythm, going in and going out, as in looking in and looking out, is one of the subjects. " Michelle Dovey
