Look up at a tree while walking by and you’ll notice imagery between the branches.  The Bible uses figs to represent Israel and/or Christians.  You know the type of tree by its fruit.  Jesus’ face revealed in the canopy of the tree represents a tree growing to raise Christ up and actually displaying his presence as its fruit.  The fruit of a tree is for others, so serving others is a benefit for the Kingdom of God more than the person.  A fruit tree spreads its seeds through the consummation of its fruit because the seeds are in the fruit itself!  Read that first sentence again.

The imagery is between the branches – not in the branches themselves.  In fact, the light background of this painting is intentional to contrast the dark branches and leaves of the tree.  The absence of leaves in certain places is what displays the imagery, just as John chapter 3 verse 30 speaks about God becoming greater and the person becoming less.  The bright sky representing God in this piece is above all – certainly above the tree raising from the ground.  As much as the tree tries to reach up, the sky is always above it.  Rather than block the sky, this tree lets the sky be displayed through the absence of its leaves.

This branches and trunk of the tree were painted with a fig branch itself and a transparent layer of blended fig pulp coats the entire image.  On top of that, the Hebrew word for fruitfulness is lightly displayed in a translucent layer made from paint and fig juice.