I’ve been immersed in the world of ancient and veteran trees for many years now, so it was a real honour to be invited to speak about seeing trees with an artist’s eye at the recent Ancient Tree Forum & Arboricultural Association Scotland Summer Forum.
Around 120 tree people from the UK and Europe gathered to share their knowledge, expertise, hopes and struggles around old trees. Arborists, ecologists, foresters, campaigners, researchers and policy makers (an an artist or two) all converged in Motherwell for a conference day, followed by a field visit day, followed by even more talks, an AGM and another field visit on day three.
I learned about morphophysiology and the microbiomes of trees, I saw images of elms surviving in the north-west highlands and felt the urgency of campaigners working to give trees the protection they warrant.
Since my talk wasn’t until the afternoon session, I could relax and listen closely to the morning’s presentations, including those by Ancient Tree Forum founders Ted Green and Jill Butler, who are deeply knowledgeable and have dedicated much of their lives to advocating for historic trees.
Speaking for the art of trees
When it came to my turn, I spoke about how all this scientific and practical knowledge has influenced how I observe and draw trees over the years. I shared my understanding of them as living things, at the mercy of their environment but also with agency in how they respond – a eternal process which parallels our human lives.
I talked about how a single tree like this beech might be viewed as an amenity, a status symbol, shelter for livestock, habitat for invertebrates, a danger to the public, an invader amongst natives.
To me it is also a thing of beauty, a kind of solidified time, a lesson in resilience, a slow motion dance, a story to be discovered through drawing.
My message seemed to make an impact, resonating with delegates’ emotional connection to trees and communicating in a way in which only art can.
Other highlights were drawing the amazing Cadzow oaks on day two, with 60 people in a rolling woodland workshop, and raising £200 for the Ancient Tree Forum with my small alder-inspired artwork in their charity auction. It was good to be able to contribute in a small way to their work, which has influenced my own for so long.
Thank you to all the Ancient Tee Forum and Arboricultural Association staff and volunteers for convening this great gathering of tree people. See you next year…