Grounded: Roots

Freddy Murphy

Beyond the Blues

For this project, I made an overhanging tree with deep roots set into the earth. Coming into the project, I envisioned something strong and balanced, yet peaceful. As I was working on the piece, what kept coming up was the idea of the tree as grounded: stable even when things are busy or uncertain. Every one of the roots I created felt like it symbolized something key to me personally: values, connections, the things that anchor me to myself.

Being grounded is feeling steady and present. It's staying connected to what's real rather than getting caught up in stress, fear, or distractions. Being grounded is also useful for mental health, helping manage feelings and remain calm when things get too much. Just as a tree stands up straight during a storm with its roots, individuals can cope when they have something powerful to anchor themselves to from the inside.

Now and then, mental health issues will make you feel disconnected, like you are floating or not quite there. That's why grounding is so necessary: it brings attention back to the present moment. It does not need to be anything elaborate, like taking a deep breath, touching something tangible, or focusing on how you are feeling in your body. Art can be one way to accomplish this. Working with the clay, I had to concentrate entirely on what was under my fingers. The feeling, the movement, even the error, all kept me present. It reminded me that grounding is not only about stillness and peace but also about fully immersing in what is currently transpiring. Grounding also makes us stronger. Under stress, the grounded individual is less apt to panic and will retain their clarity. In this busy, pressured, uncertain world where equilibrium is the exception, grounding provides equilibrium. It keeps what is vital present in the picture: what provides us with direction, our relationships, and our connection to the environment.

Both aspects are portrayed well in my ceramic tree. The strong roots represent remaining strong and attached to what is most important, whereas the upward branches indicate development as well as an assurance toward the future. The tree itself, for me, symbolizes the balance between remaining steady but still open to growth.

In the end, making this piece made me realize what it really means to be grounded. It's not that you never feel scared or lost, but it's that you have roots that are deep enough that even when things get difficult, you stay steady. The tree can grow toward new things but remains tied to where it's come from.