"The Banshee"   Charcoal, conte crayon and pastel on paper toned with pastel.  15 x 21 inches.

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This tree is #1 on my top-ten list of favorite spooky trees on Maui.  It's a native Hawaiian tree, called Ohi'a, one of the most common species in Hawaiian forests.  These trees are characteristically  gnarled in appearance, but few can challenge the spectacular character of this specimen.  An encounter with this menacing shape in deep fog is an experience to remember.  Balanced precariously at the edge of a gulch, the tree bends over the expanse at a sharp angle in search of sunlight.

The title of this work refers to the supernatural being from Celtic legend.  The banshee was said to appear in the form of an elderly woman of terrifying and monstrous appearance, haunting the estates of certain noble families as an omen of impending death.  In addition to its wild appearance, the posture of this tree seemed especially reminiscent of the Scottish banshee, which was sometimes seen bending over the edge of a stream while washing the funeral clothes of an individual who would soon die in the nearest town.