Chava Tree
Art
About Alisha as Chava Tree
The Summer Day
by Mary Oliver
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
After more than 25 years working in non-profits, addiction and mental health services, and acute healthcare as a Social Worker, I found myself asking a question I often shared with others: “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” — from Mary Oliver’s The Summer Day.
For years, I had been walking alongside others through moments of reckoning, but eventually, I arrived at my own. My passion had dimmed, adventure had faded, and my spirit felt dull. I could no longer ignore the pull toward something different—something that would bring me back to life.
A few years ago, I reset. I returned to nature through gardening and opened myself to creativity by finding an art teacher. I began oil painting, and in doing so, I rediscovered wonder, pursuit, passion, and connection.
Oil painting has become my adventure and my grounding. I’m drawn to a range of subjects: the quiet power of a portrait, the wild beauty of landscapes that echo my past adventures hiking and camping, the soulful energy of animals and beloved pets, or the unexpected poetry in a sunlit alley or a well-worn chair.
Painting is how I explore the world now—how I process, celebrate, grieve, and connect. When I can't summit a mountain, I paint it. When sorrow settles in, I paint until it lifts. When joy spills over, I paint to hold it still. Every day is made richer through the act of creating.
This is what I plan to do, "I will always paint with my one wild and precious life!"
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Why Chava Tree?
When I started my career in social work, I worked in outreach on the strolls in downtown Calgary. Along my route was "The Woman's Place Bookstore". It soon became my safe haven, and I found compassion and care from the owner, Kimberly, at the time. I would stop in, she would have me sit in the rocking chair, make me some tea, listen compassionately, and offer me a book.
One of these books was "Beyond the Pale". The story follows the life of Chava from her origin in a Russian-Jewish settlement to her journey to America in the early twentieth century. "A glimpse into a world that is often overlooked". The name Chava means "little friend" and for me "little hopes". Her story inspired me, she persevered through the tragedies of her time. Through love, community, and passionate beliefs she lived a life of meaning and purpose.
Years later I learned of my family's similar origin and their journey to America. So I chose "Chava" as a guidepost for my art, to weave all of these origins, journeys, friendships, and hopes into my work. I wonder how it will evolve and what it will all look like when I look back?
Oh and Tree, that's a story for another time :)
Artist Statement
I am an oil painter guided by instinct—by emotion, curiosity, and the quiet pull of whatever subject calls to me. My process is as much about planning as it is about following, allowing each painting to unfold naturally as I respond to color, form, and feeling.
At the heart of my practice is a deep love for the medium itself. Oil paint offers endless discovery: the subtle transitions, rich combinations, soft edges, and the way a composition can breathe with just the right balance and interplay of light and color. Each brushstroke is both a technical challenge and a source of joy, and I’m continually learning—year by year, painting by painting—how art evolves with me.
While meadows often capture my attention for their vibrant and expressive potential, I find just as much inspiration in a portrait or a landscape. Anything can be the right subject when seen through the lens of color and feeling.
My work is a reflection of both who I am and who I’m becoming. It’s a journey of growth, sensitivity, and connection—one that I’m grateful to share through paint.