Olive tree is the English translation of my maiden name from Portuguese and I love how meaningful and resourceful this ancient Mediterranean tree is. It can live for up to a thousand years producing fruit during its long life. It has a remarkable root system which is the secret of its survival even in the desert. In Bible days, olives were a source of food, illumination, ointment, and the manufacture of soap. Olive trees are mentioned all throughout the Bible as a symbol of peace, prosperity, beauty, and the relationship between God and His people.

In the same way that this little tree can remain thriving and fruitful despite the circumstances because it’s well-grounded, I am reminded that I can remain steadfast and fruitful if abide in Christ. In the same way that the olives can be a staple and be a blessing in so many ways, I want the studio to not only bring a shimmer of God’s beautiful creation to inspire us through my paintings but also to give back and support organizations that exist to help those in need.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6: 4-9