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.

The Heartwood Exhibition began on 15th July 2024 with the 5 prints being placed in  easily accessible public venues along the length of Hadrians Wall. This incuded Newcastle Central Library, Hexham Abbey, Housesteads, and Carlisle Tourist Infomation Centre. In October they all came together in the Queens Hall gallery 1 in Hexham , and from there they went into The Baltic, Gateshead viewing gallery from November to 2nd March 2025.