‘As I draw an old tree I’m struck by a powerful feeling of my being a short-lived creature amongst ancients. An ancient oak may have lived five centuries before the moment I draw it and continue another five centuries after I leave. ‘Tree-time’ is very different to our own.’
Tansy Lee Moir grew up in the Peak District in the UK. She learned about trees from her woodturner father and learned to draw what she saw from some inspiring early teachers.
She made Scotland her home 30 years ago and, after a rewarding career channeling her creativity into community projects, she turned that energy towards drawing again. Over the last 15 years she has established herself as an artist with a deep connection to the natural world, creating a body of work which resonates both visually and emotionally.
Her practice is rooted in observation and she now shares her expertise in drawing and charcoal with others through her teaching. Her art is available to purchase through galleries and exhibitions and direct from the studio.
Artist statement
‘My drawings weave together elements of the tree and the figure and are always about movement, whether that movement takes three seconds or three centuries.
I forage for images amongst the trees and in the studio, capturing their essence and energy to transmit through my artwork. As I have come to understand more about tree life, distinct bodies of work have emerged around themes which chime with my own human experiences.
My charcoals play with ambiguity, blurring the boundaries between tree, figure and water, allowing the viewer to make their own meanings. I use random marks and textures when beginning a work to provoke pareidolia, enabling me to suggest on paper the complexity I see in life.
Charcoal allows me to express both subtlety and dramatic contrast, giving me a wealth of mark making possibilities. The process feels akin to sculpting, carving out contour lines, adding and erasing deep layers of charcoal, scraping and wiping oil paint to reveal light and form. There’s something poetic about depicting living wood with its carbonised self.’