Hidden Symphonies: The Painting and the Proven Medicine of Bushwalking
‘11:11’ depicts a row of tall, separate trunks rising against a subdued sky. On closer inspection I hope that you sense what I intend to translate here as a painter: the invisible, pulsating life beneath the soil. This is the Wood Wide Web rendered visible — the mycorrhizal network that turns a forest into a single intelligent organism. Every tree does not stand alone; every tree is in constant, generous conversation with its neighbours, sharing water, carbon, nutrients and chemical warnings with absolute fidelity.
Each day, I aim to walk the same stretch of local bushland, often morning and evening. Whist chasing the light and absorbing the ever changing aesthetic, I also acknowledge the ancient underground symphony. The painting is simply a thank-you note to that hidden incredible system.
“But nature is much more complex than a clock, isn’t it? In nature, not only does one cog connect with another; everything is also connected by a network so intricate that we will probably never grasp it in its entirety. And that is a good thing, because it means that plants and animals will always amaze us. It’s important for us to realize that even small interventions can have huge consequences, and we’d do better to keep our hands off everything in nature that we do not absolutely have to touch.”
― Peter Wohlleben, The Secret Wisdom of Nature: Trees, Animals, and the Extraordinary Balance of All Living Things ― Stories from Science and Observation
Whilst bushwalking has been a staple in my life from a young child, the benefits have become more evident as the years go by. What was once considered as painting inspiration and daily meditation I now regard as medicinal and I am certainly not alone.
The evidence is stacked. This week, some amazingly thoughtful human passed an article from The Good Weekend over the gallery gate with a note that read ‘Thought of you!’
The article was based on the mounting evidence that forest bathing has on our minds and bodies. Points of interest were ~
• Phytoncides released by trees measurably increase human natural killer-cell activity and number within hours of exposure.
• Inhaled terpenes show cytotoxic, anti-tumorigenic and neuroprotective effects in both in vitro and human trials.
• Regular immersion in forested environments lowers salivary cortisol, blood pressure and sympathetic nerve activity while raising parasympathetic tone.
• Documented outcomes include reduced anxiety and depression scores, faster surgical recovery, improved attention restoration, better sleep architecture and healthier gut microbiomes.
You do not need to hug a tree or whisper to water, (though I absolutely do), you simply need to show up, breathe, and walk slowly enough to let the chemistry do its work. I rarely miss a day and when I do, I certainly feel it in more ways than one.
The painting ‘11:11’ is not asking you to believe in magic. It is asking you to remember a fact: we, too, are built for interconnection. I’m so grateful for having such daily beauty and nourishment at my doorstep and hope that I can adequately translate such gratitude to the viewer via the painting.
I’d love you to pop by the gallery to view the painting ‘11:11’…then step outside, perhaps down to Whale Rock and fill a prescription— no chemist required.
Melony Kara Smirniotis
Artist / Director of Gallery 11:11