Upon first hearing Thomas Berry's work Children of the Forest, it occurred to me that this humble poem perhaps contained the essence of his message-- a simpler, more lyrical rendition of The Universe Story. Great scholar that he is, I wondered if this was intentional-- but I'm not sure that it matters, it's effective as well as inspired. For me, this poem struck the chord of a great truth.
"We are all Children of the Forest" is a statement on par with "do unto others as you would have others do unto you," It's a mantra. It's a prayer. It's a lesson gently delivered sans preaching. Each descriptive line is an enhancement layering a warm and fuzzy vessel to hold the great simple truth-- We are all children of the forest. Thomas Berry's words, read deliberately will open the universe to the reader, it did so for me. I immediately saw how this could be adapted to a children's picture-book, whose theme would appeal to adults as well.
In my interpretation, I've taken a seemingly simple poem and expanded it with my pictures and concept. While highlighting specific endangered creatures, forests, plants and tribes, the illustrations tell a parallel story of an earlier, more condensed world connected-- on a level beyond broadband. The underlying concept is intentionally "eco-spiritual" in keeping with and in honor of the life and work of an important teacher of our time, Thomas Berry, who graced my path. (more in book proposal)
Contact the Artist to access pdfs:
Children of the Forest- Book Dummy
Children of the Forest- Book Proposal
Children - Notes on Pictures & Design
