Lea Wiljer
About the trees…
Why Mycorrhizal Magic? It is the unseen network that bonds trees of the same and even different species and allows them to share resources, information and more. The mother trees literally raise their offspring and support their neigbours, and the forest gives back. We are not excluded from this exchange!
There is so much to learn - I’m on a journey that started from what the trees themselves were teaching me but for more in-depth information let’s leave it to the experts.
Some facinating reading comes from Diana Beresford-Kroeger, an Irish born and educated scientist, botanist, medical biochemist who forged her own path to be free to study the trees on her own farm near Ottawa. ‘To Speak For The Trees’ and ‘Our Green Heart’ are just 2 of her books.
https://www.dianaberesford-kroeger.com/about-diana
One source that rings true comes from Ross Reid, ‘Nerdy About Nature’ https://www.nerdyaboutnature.com/
A beautiful novel from Richard Powers, ‘Overstorey’ speaks of the power of the trees to change lives and find our deep connections to the natural world.
‘The Golden Spruce’ by John Vaillant tells the story of logging in British Columbia and one mans’ attempt to alert the world of the tragedies, by unfortunately destroying a rare, sacred giant on Haida Gwaii.
To understand the science of Forest Bathing, the healing power of trees and how they communicate with us and each other see this fascinating video by Richard Feynman
Lea returned to painting in 2025, inspired by the magical forests of Bowen Island, B.C. She works both on Bowen Island and in Toronto,
Lea lives in awe of the power of the forest and endeavors to capture the magic of the trees in her work. The focus is the seen and unseen connections and community that the trees have with each other and with us, if we listen and look. Lea hopes to do justice to these giants of nature and to bring that sense of awe to others.
