BENEATH SHADOWED WOODS - Opening Event Friday 6th September 6pm - 7.15 pm

“The hope that the seasons offer … Even in a seemingly dormant state, changes are happening underneath, and in a while, everything will come to life again” A note from my sketchbook - January 2021

The inspiration for Beneath Shadowed Woods began during 2020 - a time few of us will forget. I moved to a new house in a small village with an ancient woodland, where I would walk almost daily. I would then return home and paint in sketchbooks at my dining table in the weeks and months before I could return to my studio. I would spend hours just painting layers and layers, trying to capture the feeling and atmosphere of the woodland and something of the experience of that time. Then came Storm Arwen later in 2021 and the devastation of the woodland and forests in Northumberland and beyond. The impact on our landscape was clear for all to see. Like many others, the tiny scrap of woodland in my village changed dramatically. 

Though these paintings feel dark, to me, they reflect the beautiful, earthy, mysterious atmosphere of the woodland and undergrowth. Trees allow us to feel as rooted and grounded as they are—a chance to pause, observe, and connect with nature and ourselves.