illuminate Film Festival & Biophilia ~ the forest within | May 1, Santa Barbara

Dear Friends,

I’m deeply honored to invite you to a very special exhibition and collaboration that’s been close to my heart.  An Exhibition called, Biophilia ~ the forest within.

Wednesday, May 1 |

4:00–5:00 PM illuminate VIP Opening

5:00 - 8:30PM Public

Art and Soul Gallery 1323 State St, Santa Barbara, CA

In collaboration with Illuminate Film Festival

This joint exhibition unites Joyce Tenneson’s luminous, golden-hued trees with my own wild nature photography—offering a shared meditation on transformation, connection, and renewal. Together, our works explore the profound relationship between humanity and the natural world, revealing a space where the boundaries between soul and soil, body and landscape, begin to dissolve.

The ethereal, mist-laden landscapes and golden-toned trees echo the symbolism of the "golden bough," a bridge between worlds, a passage from life to death, and from the known to the unknown. The recurring motif of pathways and branching trees mirrors the crossroads we face in our relationship with nature—an invitation to return to the root of our essence, to find sanctuary in the wild.

In my images, the human form dissolves into nature. A boy’s spine extends into a fern, his being entwined with the organic world. A child looks in awe at the towering presence of an ancient tree. A face is obscured by butterfly wings, evoking transformation, the shedding of perception, and the merging of self with the wild. Trees stretch their gnarled limbs like veins, roots cradle bodies—reminding us that we are not separate from nature but a continuation of her.

It has been a deeply meaningful experience collaborating with Joyce, she has been a mentor, friend and such an inspiration.

Please come experience this sanctuary with us on May 1st from 4–6pm, and stay for the Illuminate Film Festival May 1 - 4. I would love nothing more than to share this evening of beauty with you.

With Love and Reverence,

Christina