I’ve painted olive trees a number of times, and each time, these paintings quickly find new homes. What makes olive trees so popular?

Perhaps there are obvious answers having to do with memories of Italian holidays or a love of their beautiful oil. My reasons are three-fold. Firstly, I have those fond memories of taking my first walk through an Italian olive grove in fascination (see here for my first olive story). Secondly, I stayed in an apartment that backed onto an extensive grove, and from my back terrace, my soundtrack was the wind blowing through the fluttering slender leaves. Talk about a calming influence! Now when I look at photos or my paintings of olive trees, I “hear” them!

My third reason for choosing olive trees to paint is an art-centric one. These subjects present a challenge, mostly in attempting to establish the many layers of branches in the foreground and different backgrounds. Unlike some pieces, these paintings require some planning to establish some balance – deciding which branches and fruit will go where! Being a “puzzle girl”, I like these composition challenges.

So for me, it’s a head and heart thing. If you are an olive tree admirer, I’d love to hear what draws you to them!

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