Matthew, the artist, runs Tree Ring Art, which is a part of The Lion & The Bear Farm. Based on the gorgeous South Shore of Massachusetts and in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, our super small farm on two sites specializes in fruit and vegetable plants, forest art, and rustic decor. Matthew is a full time dad after having served the students, parents, and teachers of Maryland, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts for 20 years as an educator and school leader. Now he is surrounded by berries, tomatoes, and dirt - as well as two young children, an aloof cat, an anxious cattle dog, and an increasing number of chickens.

A tree slice is rough cut with a chainsaw, planed to level it, then sanded smooth. The tree slice is then burned with a blowtorch to create textural differences among the tree rings. Next is cleaning with a wire brush, followed by inking with a roller. Finally, paper is placed on top of the inked tree slice, then pulled by hand.

The images below help to illustrate Matthew's process, with a white ink "inverse" version shown at the end!

Coming this spring: kits with all materials necessary for kids to make their own tree ring art!