Bay Area mural celebrates 'love in action'

FORESTVILLE, Calif. (KGO) -- Muralist Amandalynn's canvas is the side of a small business building in Forestville, California. Her subject is an image from photographer Dan Winters: an iconic picture of Julia Butterfly Hill.

In 1997, Hill climbed 185 feet up a majestic redwood tree she named Luna. She made that tree her home for 738 days as a campaign to protect California old-growth forests.

"I've always tried to tell people that it's not about me", Hill said. "Our planet needs translators only because people have forgotten its language. People have forgotten how to listen."

During her time in Luna, Hill lived her motto: "Love in action."

"If we take action out of anger, we're only making more problems in the world," Hill said. "But when you can take action out of love, then miracles can happen."

More than two decades after saving Luna, Winters' photo was shared on social media to commemorate International Arbor Day. Amandalynn was immediately drawn to the photo's beauty and history.

"I was just so drawn to it, having known the story of Julia. It all seemed so powerful," Amandalynn said.

"One of the things about my tree-sitting action that was so much bigger than I ever even imagined happening is that, it reminds people that we matter," Hill said. "Even under seemingly impossible odds, that if we're willing to have the courage to stand up for our convictions, positive change can and will happen".

Building owner Michael "Bug" Deakin loves the idea of spreading Hill's message.

"What I get to do here is reintroduce this amazing human and what she did and the impact it made on so many of us for so long to the next generation," Deakin said.

"My prayer with my life is that people realize that we are all ancestors of the future," Hill said.

Learn more about Julia Butterfly Hill here.

Learn more about Amandalynn here.