Verdance by Stephanie Law (Book)

Stephanie Law's Undying Tales series has been an ongoing project for the past five years, depicting endangered species from around the world, accompanied by the myths, legends, and folklore of the regions. The reflection of the living world in the human psyche is presented as a rich tapestry of spirit and enchantment, elevating the earthy mundane to divinity and underscoring how entwined we are with the natural world. Verdance draws from Undying Tales, focusing specifically on the trees from the series and the ecosystems in which they play critical roles. Throughout human history, trees have inspired with their monolithic presence and provided metaphors for sacred realms. They have given shelter and gifts of their essence whose properties were then explained such that the knowledge could be passed along embedded within the memorable strains of song or tale. This series of paintings is an invitation to dance with the artist under the boughs of green giants: Sunlight and shadow, loam and leaf, threaded through with the stories they inspire.

Stephanie Law's work follows in the tradition of the mythic arts. She is based in Oakland, CA. Her paintings explores a surreal otherworld, and the manifestations of desire and archetype when seen with a shifted perception. Much of her inspiration stems from mythology and folklore, mingled with the movement of dance, and the chaos of Nature's wild growth. She has authored and illustrated 4 books ("Dreamscapes", through North Light Books), a series on watercolor technique within a fantastical framework, and she is also the author and illustrator of the Shadowscapes Tarot (2009, Llewellyn Worldwide).