Painting on a Real Tree: Letting the Tree Lead the Way

Letting the Tree Lead

This was my first time painting on a tree—a surface unlike any canvas or paper I’ve used before.

The colors were chosen. I came in with a direction. But the moment my brush met the bark, the tree began to guide the process.

The texture began speaking louder with every stroke. Colors pulled themselves into places I hadn’t planned.

I thought I was painting stillness.

But the tree was full of motion—light flickering across scars, air caught between grooves.

There was a rhythm in it.

Something alive.

This wasn’t canvas. It wasn’t paper.

It was a real, rooted tree—weathered, textured, and full of quiet energy, making it a unique surface for painting.

When I was invited to paint it, I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t sketch. I didn’t force anything. I just watched how the light shifted in the late afternoon and let the tree show me where to go.

Some spots wanted bold color. Others needed to stay raw—edges left soft, textures breaking through.

I didn’t want it to feel painted on.

I wanted it to feel painted with.

Why This Project Mattered

As my first painting commission on a tree, it brought me back to why I create:

To listen. To respond. To connect.

It was slower. More vulnerable. Less polished.

But more alive.

Not about perfection.

About presence.

 

Interested in Something Like This?

I don’t usually offer tree painting commissions—but occasionally, when something feels aligned, I say yes. Especially if it’s local and rooted in meaning.

If you have something in mind, I’d love to hear about it.

✉️ hello@mishalmohanart.com

(Note: My commissions page is for canvas work—this kind of project is more personal, so email is best.)