Carol Ballenger has undertaken various comissions for the public and private sectors, some of which are listed below.

The Tree of Life

A Commission for Arts & Health South West

This image combines two representations of The Tree of Life, the oak tree as an historic symbol and the phylogenetic Tree of Life as a representation of genetic evolution.

The oak tree is venerated for its strength and endurance. To the Celts the oak was considered to be The Tree of Life. As well as being a provider for man's basic needs, the oak was sacred and represented the Axis Mundi, the centre of the world.

Trees were also considered to be the ancestors of mankind. The Tree of Life appears as a symbol in various cultures around the world and throughout Europe the oak tree has been held in high esteem. The Tree of Life is linked to prosperity, love and health.

For thousands of years we classified all living things as either plants or animals. The advance of science led to the drawing of a Tree of Life where all known species of plants and animals were placed on the two main branches.

A new evolving understanding of life on earth, brought about by enormous progress in the study of genetic evolution and DNA linked to information technology, has made scientists redraw an expanded tree where plants and animals are only part of the whole.

We now know that all life on the vast evolutionary tree is genetically related. We humans have a few strands of DNA code in common with even the smallest bacteria. All living things can be traced back to the first living creature on earth, probably a single-celled microbe (at the centre of the image).

The more we learn about our ancestors on the Tree of Life, the more we will know about ourselves. This research increases our ability to predict, diagnose and treat diseases. Also known as the Phylogenetic Tree, the vast and expanding Tree of Life promises countless benefits to all life, especially to the environment and human health.

This work has been produced by Carol Ballenger in 2007 as a limited edition giclée print of 25 for Arts & Health South West with special thanks to Professor Hillis at the University of Texas for permission to use his representation of the phylogenetic Tree of Life. More information can be found at the University of Texas wesite.

Exhibition

"Tree of Life - Homage to Darwin" was selected for the 12th International Digital Print Exhibition at the New York Hall of Science, organised by Art & Science Collaborations, Inc (ASCI). It runs from 3 October 2010 to 31 January 2011.

ARTIST STATEMENT
For Darwin, the ascent of all species through time was expressed as a metaphor he termed the Tree of Life. The modern development of this idea is called the Phylogenetic Tree. My work combines two representations of the Tree of Life: the oak tree as an ancient symbol of life in European mythology, here seen as a ring of English oak on a background of branches, and a current representation of the Phylogenetic Tree of Life from the Hillis and Bull Lab at the University of Texas. The diagram, with thanks to Professor Hillis for its use, is from an analysis of small sub-unit RNA sequences sampled from about 3,000 species throughout the Tree of Life. The number of species represented is about 0.18% of the 1.7 million species that have been formally described and named out of an estimated nine million. Understanding more about the biodiversity of our environment might just help us to appreciate and preserve our fragile planet earth.

Work in Healthcare settings

Carol has been commissioned to make work for a variety of healthcare settings such as for the RD&E Hospital, Exeter; Arts and Health South West; the Leatside Surgery Totnes; and private practices.

FIVE LARGE SEASCAPES AT THE LEATSIDE SURGERY, TOTNES

. . . . .

Puppetcraft Theatre Company

Production of work for sets for “Tristan and Isolde”.

The Wrigley Company Ltd., Plymouth

A set of photographs for the board room.

ABode (formerly Royal Clarence) Hotel, Exeter