“And as they watched, upon the mound there came forth two slender shoots; and silence was over all the world in that hour, nor was there any other sound save the chanting of Yavanna. Under her song the saplings grew and became fair and tall, and came to flower; and thus there awoke in the world the Two Trees of Valinor. Of all things which Yavanna made they have most renown, and about their fate all the tales of the Elder Days are woven.

The one had leaves of dark green that beneath were as shining silver, and from each of his countless flowers a dew of silver light was ever falling, and the earth beneath was dappled with the shadows of his fluttering leaves. The other bore leaves of a young green like the new-opened beech; their edges were of glittering gold. Flowers swung upon her branches in clusters of yellow flame, formed each to a glowing horn that spilled a golden rain upon the ground; and from the blossom of that tree there came forth warmth and a great light.”
“THE SILMARILLION,” JRR TOLKIEN

The concept of duality is a common theme in my work. Together with my love of Middle Earth, this inspired my diptych of the Two Trees of Valinor. According to the lore from The Silmarillion, each was a source of light – Laurelin illuminating the golden day and Telperion shining silver in the night. For a time at dusk and dawn, they would glow together softly as one faded and the other became more radiant, and that is the moment I sought to capture here.

The Trees were not canonically “lived in” as they are pictured here, but I have always been fascinated by the idea of living architecture so this is my own interpretation.