Day 2: Drawing the 300-Year-Old White Oak Tree

The White Oak in Wilcox Park, Rhode Island, is estimated to be around 300 years old, and it could live to be as old as 700. Imagine this massive tree as a seedling, just as the United States was gaining independence. Today, I set up beneath its sprawling branches for several hours to begin a pencil drawing. My goal: to sharpen my observation skills and reclaim a deeper, more mindful focus.

In daily life, I often feel pulled in countless directions, making sustained attention increasingly rare. Maybe it's the effect of our digital world, quick answers, constant pings, and split attention. One of my main intentions during this art residency in Wilcox Park is to slow down, really listen, and see with greater clarity.

So today, I spent nearly three hours with this extraordinary historic tree. It reminds me of the live oaks in South Carolina, with their long, horizontal limbs that stretch and curve in elegant defiance of gravity. I’m currently honing my pencil cross-hatching technique, a meditative process that invites patience and presence. It’s a solid beginning, though I know there's more depth to explore.

This tree is truly enormous. I’m not sure my drawing fully captures its grandeur, but it's a start. And sometimes, showing up to observe is the most important part of the work.