The Sycamore Gap Tree prints: Heartwood Exhibition

When I heard on the news that the tree had been felled, I felt so shocked and saddened. I didn't think about printing the tree until much later. I was contacted by a few people who asked me if I was going to print a round from the tree and I also noticed that the National Trust were gathering emails and responses from people who had loved the tree and were suggesting what could be done to commemorate it's life. I emailed the Trust to offer a print for a possible exhibition.

I print trees as it gives me a way to feel close to their lives and also reveals in visual form the mystery and love I have for them. I usually print rounds from trees that are fairly anonymous in the landscape, the ones easily passed by and in some ways to me this feels particularly special.

I was really pleased to be able to print Sycamore gap as part of it's legacy because I want to show and share the natural beauty of the tree itself and the life that it had.

 It was my biggest tree printing challenge so far-although its not the largest piece- that goes to the village Oak- but sycamore is very fine grained and so I needed to work much longer on preparing the wood surface to be printable.

I sanded it for around 10 hours over a few days to make sure all scratches were removed and I had all the fine detail visible. The first day of sanding was at a National Trust location and it then took 4 of us to load it into my van to bring it back to my studio in Grizedale.

I continued working on the surface, and then burned it to create the grooves and lower areas.

Once burned I wire brushed it until all the ash was removed.

Then I sealed the surface with shellac.

Once I had completed the first test print to check everything was ok, the round could be moved up to my studio table. Luckily I can call on the Forestry England staff to help.

I use traditional linseed oil printing ink, which is  rolled onto the surface of the wood in thin layers. I lay the paper on top, its 100% cotton and I keep it still with weights. Printing is done by hand with a small bookbinders tool, called a bone folder and I use this as it allows me to press a small area at a time, so that it's physically possible to apply the pressure needed. It's a slow process and each Sycamore Gap print took me 3.5 hours to do. I developed some larger arm and shoulder muscles over the weeks I worked on the 5 prints.

 Now that the prints are on display to the public I hope it can be a positive next chapter in the way we feel about the tree and for me, all trees. What I hope the most is that the Sycamore tree stump puts out new shoots and begins to grow again.

 3/9/24

It's been wonderful to hear and see that the tree has indeed started growing again, putting a few leaves and shoots in different places around its base.