These watercolor paintings are re-illustrations of sorts for the wonderful book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. It was rather enjoyable to assert my own approach to a book that means a lot to me intrinsically, as I read it as a child and loved it, and now respect it even more as an adult. The original illustrations are beautiful and do not need re-working. This endeavor was an assignment- a rather enjoyable one at that.

Once there was a giving tree who loved a little boy.

And every day the boy would come to play

Swinging from the branches, sleeping in the shade

Laughing all the summer's hours away

And so they love.

Oh, the tree was happy.

Oh, the tree was glad.

But soon the boy grew older and one day he came and said,

"Can you give me some money, tree, to buy something I've found?"

"I have no money," said the tree, "Just apples, twigs and leaves.

But you can take my apples, boy, and sell them in the town."

And so he did.

Oh, the tree was happy, oh the tree was glad.

But soon again the boy came back and said to the tree

"I am now a man and I must have a house that is all my own."

"I can't give you a house," he said. "The forest is my house.

But you can cut my branches off and build yourself a home."

And so he did.

Oh, the tree was happy.

Oh, the tree was glad.

And time went by and the boy came back with sadness in his eyes.

"My life has turned so cold," he said. "I need sunny days."

"I have nothing but a trunk, but you can cut it down and build a boat and said away."

And so he did.

Oh, the tree was happy.

Oh, the tree was glad.

After years the boy came back, and both of them were old. 

"I really can not help you if you ask for another gift. 

I am nothing but an old stump now. I have nothing more to give."

"I do not need much now. Just a quiet place to rest."

"Well," said the tree, "an old stump is still good for that.

Come boy," he said, "sit down and rest for a while."

And so he did.

Oh, the tree was happy.

Oh, the tree was glad.