Description The wWillow's ability to quickly regrow has come to symbolise renewal, growth, vitality and immortality..During the 16th & 17th centuries the association became particular to grief suffered by forsaken lovers, who also adopted the custom of wearing a cap or crown made of willow twigs and leaves. By the 19th century, illustrations of weeping willows were commonly used as ornaments on gravestones and mourning cards. Willow boughs were used to decorate churches in Britain on Palm Sunday instead of largely unavailable palm leaves.Country folk have been familiar with the healing properties of willow for a long time. They made an infusion from the bitter bark as a remedy for colds and fevers, and to treat inflammatory conditions such as rheumatism. Young willow twigs were also chewed to relieve pain. In the early nineteenth century modern science isolated the active ingredient responsible, salicylic acid, which was also found in the meadowsweet plant. From this, the world's first synthetic drug, acetylasylic acid, was developed and marketed as Aspirin, named after the old botanical name for meadowsweet, Spirea ulmaria.
Dawn LeBlanc, Edmonton, Alberta Member Since June 2008 Artist Statement
A graphic designer by trade, Dawn is a semi-professional photographer whose images are held in private collections throughout North America and Europe. Her images have appeared in national publications, books, and newspapers. A latecomer to photography, Dawn began a journey with her camera that immediately engaged, captivated and consumed her. The photographs that have materialized reflect her admiration of nature as she looks at underlying forms, shapes and colour, seeking to strip away distracting detail and discover the play of light and shadow that can make the ordinary extraordinary. She hopes that in presenting things the way she does, others might also recognize and share in the simple solace and beauty of the natural world.