Written by: Muhammad Hamza
Posted on: October 22, 2025 | 
| 中文
Tree For Life - 04
In the quiet glow of 8b2 Gallery, Farrah Mahmood Rana’s solo show Tree for Life unfolds like a secret garden. Each painting invites you to lean in close, to trace the delicate lines and soft colors that bring trees to life on paper. Drawing from the old Mughal style of miniature art, Rana uses tiny brushes and layers of paint to create worlds where trees are more than plants. They are friends, storytellers, and mirrors of our own feelings. Her show explores big ideas such as motherhood, belonging and the strength of communities, all wrapped in the simple beauty of branches and leaves.
Farrah Mehmood Rana, the artist
Rana, a talented artist and teacher from Islamabad, Pakistan, sees trees as wise companions. In her own words, they stand as guards of time, watching seasons change and offering peace in a busy world. She paints them with human touches, sometimes bowed in quiet prayer, other times bursting with energy. This mix of old craft and new stories makes her work feel fresh yet timeless. The curator, Fatima Hamid, calls the trees “living emblems,” symbols that show how careful work can spark joy and surprise. As you walk through the show, the air feels calmer, like sitting under a shady branch on a hot day.
One of the first pieces that catches the eye is Tree for Life 01. Here, a tall tree rises against a bright yellow sky, its trunk twisting like a gentle hug. Golden leaves shimmer in the light, dotted with small blue birds perched on branches. The birds seem to sing softly; their wings folded in rest. The roots spread wide at the base, digging deep into the earth as if holding secrets from below. This painting feels warm and alive, like the start of spring. The gold adds a touch of magic, reminding us of sunlight filtering through leaves. Rana’s skill shines in the fine details, the way each leaf overlaps just so, building depth with thin washes of color. It is a nod to hope, a tree that says life goes on no matter what.
Tree For Life - 01
Nearby hangs Tree for Life 02, a bold split image that pulls you in two directions at once. The left side glows in sunny yellow, filled with red flowers blooming like tiny hearts. The right-side fades to soft white, where blue birds flutter among pale green leaves. The trunk stands strong in the middle, roots mirroring the divide above. This piece speaks to balance, light and shadow, joy and calm living side by side. The colors blend at the edges, showing how opposites can connect, much like families or communities that hold together through change. Rana’s brushwork here is playful yet precise, letting spontaneity peek through the discipline of her technique. It makes you think about your own life, the parts that clash but still grow together.
Tree for Life 03 takes this idea further, with a stark black half meeting a cheerful yellow one. Red flowers pop against the dark side, while blue birds add spots of joy on the bright. The tree leans slightly, as if whispering across the divide. The contrast is striking, the black feels like night, deep and mysterious, while yellow brings dawn’s promise. Roots tangle below, uniting what the branches pull apart. This painting captures resilience, the way nature and people push through tough times. Rana uses layered paints to make the colors glow, turning simple forms into emotional stories. It is a quiet call for harmony in our divided world, echoing her love for peace and human connection.
Tree For Life - 03
For a softer mood, turn to Tree for Life 04. A graceful willow tree sways on a black background, its branches flowing like silver waterfalls. The leaves are fine white lines, almost glowing against the dark, with the trunk curving in elegant loops. Roots fan out below, delicate as lace. This one feels like a moment of peace, a tree bending but never breaking in the wind. The white on black choice highlights every curve, showing Rana’s mastery of light in small spaces. It is like a lullaby in paint, inviting you to breathe deep and let go of worries. Here, the tree embodies solitude and strength, a lone figure in a vast night sky.
The show also sparkles with smaller works, like the quartet in Tree for Life 05 to 08. These round paintings, edged in gold leaf, feel like jewels. In 05, a green tree stands proud, its leaves tipped with gold that catches the eye like morning dew. The trunk is sturdy, roots firm, suggesting steady growth. 06 bursts in red, branches fiery and full, as if celebrating life’s passion. A green companion in 07 sways gently, leaves soft and full, while 08 dips into blue, waves of branches evoking calm waters. Gold leaf weaves through each, adding a sacred glow. These pieces play with seasons of spring green, summer red, and autumn blue, reminding us of nature’s cycle. Rana’s tiny strokes make them intimate, like holding a leaf in your palm. Together, they build a sense of community, small trees linking arms in quiet support.
Moving to Tree for Life 09, a windy gold tree twists on white, branches swirling like a dance in the breeze. Below, roots mirror the chaos above, grounding the whirl. Paired with 10, where pink and green leaves frame a slim trunk, these show movement frozen in time. The gold in 09 shimmers, turning wind into wonder, while 10’s soft hues feel tender, like a mother’s embrace. Rana blends realism and true leaf shapes with abstract swirls, pulling you into introspection. These trees are not still; they pulse with energy, metaphors for how we bend and bounce back.
Tree For Life - 09-10-11-12
Tree for Life 13 brings gold leaf alive again, a white tree etched against a golden circle, branches reaching like prayers. The roots below form a quiet base, simple yet strong. It is paired with 14, where red branches explode on black, gold flecks like stars in a fiery night. These contrast calm white with bold red, showing endurance in different lights. The gold adds depth, making the paint feel three-dimensional. Rana’s theme of interconnectedness shines here, trees as links between earth and sky, past and future.
Deeper into the show, Tree for Life 17 surprises with a human touch. A red tree morphs into a woman’s form, arms as branches reaching up, roots as feet planted firm. The figure seems to grow from the earth, flowers blooming from her curves. It is a powerful image of motherhood, the tree woman nurturing life from within. Colors are warm and alive, reds fading to soft pinks. Nearby, 18 echoes this in blue, another figure woven into branches, evoking quiet strength. These pieces tie to Rana’s focus on kinship and social bonds, women as roots of community. The blend of body and bark feels mystical, inviting awe at our shared roots with nature.
Tree For Life - 17-18-19-20
Finally, Tree for Life 21 closes the circle with a weeping green tree, branches drooping like tears, yet leaves full and vibrant. On black, it stands alone but unbroken, a symbol of quiet dignity. The curves are soothing, roots spreading wide in acceptance. This one whispers of contemplation, the tree in gentle supplication, pleading for harmony. Paired with 29, a larger green and gold burst of leaves and birds, it shows the power of scale, from intimate sorrow to joyful expanse.
Tree For Life - 29
Through these works, Rana’s Tree for Life weaves a tapestry of emotion. Her gouache on wasli paper, layered with care, bridges old Mughal precision with today’s urgent stories. Trees become personas, hopeful guardians, resilient fighters, serene thinkers. The colors of dawn yellow, heart red, and peace blue draw you in, while gold leaf adds a timeless sparkle. As an educator and curator, Rana does not just paint; she teaches us to see heritage in everyday wonders, like a tree outside your window.
This show matters now, in a world racing too fast. It slows you down, urging reflection on belonging and care. Rana’s trees remind us that we are all connected, growing together through storms. Step out feeling lighter, with earth’s wisdom tucked in your pocket. In simple strokes, she gifts us depth and serenity, a true homage to life’s quiet majesty.
You may also like:
