This illustration was commissioned by herbalist Susun Weed as the banner image for her online herbal conference “Soothing Linden,” which took place this past week. The title refers to the star of the conference, the flowers of the American Linden tree – a/k/a Tilia or Basswood tree. In France, the popular tea made from this herb is known as tilleul, which is made into tisane – an herbal tea. I first encountered tilleul in the south of France 25 years ago, and loved it so much, I brought back several boxes as gifts.
Other herbs such as slippery elm, marshmallow root, and seaweed are also discussed in the conference for their slippery, mucilaginous healing properties. In a world in which people are riddled with chronic inflammation, this worthy subject provides enough material to fill dozens of recipes, excerpts of books, stories and testimonies by fifteen different herbalists – all compiled into this lively conference. Participants can access the conference indefinitely, so it’s not too late to sign up!
My challenge in depicting the spirit of this herb was to convey some kind of slippery quality. An image came to me of a sinuous woman, lithe as a snake, dancing in fluid movement like a Hindu goddess, in perfect equanimity in the midst of a stressful world. As a soothing, cooling, anti-inflammatory demulcent (a plant that soothes and protects irritated or inflamed internal tissue, particularly mucous membranes), Linden embodies those qualities. Her pale yellow flowers attract so many bees, the trees are said to buzz when in full bloom in June. You might not notice the flowers unless you look up, as their samaras tends to hide them. These green extensions resemble leaves themselves, and enable the wind to carry the flowers away from the tree. I used these arced green shapes to both parallel and complement the curves of the figure.
Another challenge was creating enough contrast. Susun wanted a white background – how could I make these pale yellow flowers stand out? The solution was faint outlines, painted with a mix of ochre and brown with a very fine brush. To balance the effect, these outlines were extended into the figure as well, and blended outward to create selective areas of shading.
This is the fourth banner illustration I’ve created for Susun’s annual herbal conferences each May. She requires both botanical accuracy and imagination – two realms that she blends together seamlessly in her own books, two of which I’ve illustrated. Combining scientific information with spiritual insight is what Susun is all about, mingled together in an evolving, fluid dance – much like the woman shown above. In that sense, I picture this dark-haired goddess as Susun herself.
It was my pleasure to sip Linden infusion while working on this painting, as I do believe whatever I internalize emerges in my art. Linden infusion is a regular part of my life. I steep the dried flowers in boiled water overnight to make the first quart, then steep them again to draw out even more mucilage. The resulting beverage is a water-based extract, slippery and more fluid than regular tea. I drink it hot in the winter and cold in summer. From your mouth to your colon, anything Linden comes in contact with is soothed.
I love combining learning and art. Illustration is a great opportunity to do both. I’m grateful to Susun for involving me in this wonderful project. I’ll be signing onto the conference myself over the next few weeks. It’s a welcome annual ritual.
A good week to all!
D. Yael Bernhard
https://dyaelbernhard.com
Have you seen my other Substack, The Art of Health? In addition to being a visual artist, I’m also a certified integrative health & nutrition coach with a lifelong passion for natural food cooking and herbal medicine. Now in its second year, this illustrated newsletter explores cutting-edge concepts of nutrition. I strive to make relevant information clear and accessible, and to anchor essential health concepts in unique images. Check it out, and if you like it, please subscribe and help spread the word. Your support keeps my work going!