Giclée on paper
Signed and numbered with a certificate of authenticity.

Metsän Rouva (Lady of the Forest) is a series of works created during a selective residency at Arteles Creative Center, Finland in November, 2022. The ink on canvas and photographic collages are inspired by the Finnish forests – in particular, the birch tree.

The birch is known as the “mother tree” as it is said to be the first tree to grow after the ice age retreated. It was a sacred tree in Celtic, Finno-Ugric, Baltic and Slavic tribes. The sap inside the tree symbolises life and rebirth, the leaves – our ancestors and the bark, the starry sky. The Russian word for birch “berjoza” means protection. The traditional broomstick was traditionally made from birch so it is often linked to wicca, women and spirits.

Metsän Rouva, showcases McTavish’s love of nature and her ability to capture its beauty and power in her works.

“I pass forth into the light – I find myself
Beneath a weeping birch (most beautiful
Of forest trees, the Lady of the Woods.”

FROM THE PICTURE OR THE LOVER’S RESOLUTION BY SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE