When my family and I lived on the farm, we always had different kinds of trees. Our favorites were the walnut and pecan trees. The trees were like our playground while we enjoyed the bounty it provided. Many textures were used in my painting. For the bark of the tree, I used pine cones, because I wanted a tactile 3-D look; for the little girls' hair, I used unraveled yarn, chick peas for the walnuts, and acrylic paint for the overall flow of painting. With this painting, Heritage, I wanted to depict not only the 15 siblings, but the other additional six siblings who had passed away. This is my recognition to my family in this life and the afterlife. I know they were always with us, growing up with us and playing alongside us. As you can see, the subdued night sky is the veil between worlds bridging the reality beyond this world. The tree has always represented life and family. Its roots deep within the Earth represent our connection to Mother Earth. Its branches represent so much more forever reaching up to the sky, reaching up to "God" or the "Universe." Heritage not only represents my family, but the families of the world. Everyone has a "family tree" which is their heritage. In discovering and honoring our heritage, we can see how connected we really are. We get to move forward in love and respect with the heart of a child.