Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Re-discovering Trees

After having an exhibition it always seems a good idea to go through old work. Maybe it's because spring is here, but when you take down a show it does feel like a new beginning. Going through my plan chest I came across some unfinished drawings of trees combining glue gun and pastel crayon. This seemed to be coincidental as for the last couple of months, in Shetland, I had hardly seen a tree. Any remaining ones are Grade 1 listed or have round the clock protection. Apparently, according to one Shetlander, one of the reasons why there are so few trees is that they encourage mice! I've got nothing against trees, but when I'm drawing in Shetland I find the flowing (treeless) lines of the landscape conducive to a flowing pencil line. If you want to read more about the lack of trees in Shetland here is a link http://loiswalpole.blogspot.fr/2012/01/wind-and-willows.html. I think a tree themed exhibition in Shetland might  be shocking, especially to children. Mummy (or Daddy) what's that scary thing with green fingery bits on? There would be real trees in the gallery for children to climb and adults to hug.  If trees were to be re-introduced to Shetland it would be a major learning curve for birds as well. When I started coming to Shetland it was a surprise to see so many birds nesting in holes in the ground. So, seeing trees with birds sitting in them,,,,,,,,,,,,,
So, in order to re-balance my world view I've decided to continue with the tree drawings. In one review of my show on the Northings web site http://northings.com/2012/01/10/jj-ignatius-brennan-and-rob-colclough/ the critic said he would have liked to have seen more colour in my work (I think he is a painter).



In the tree drawings I have used more colour and they are done on coloured paper. By using shiny colour on matt paper (with black conte and sometimes a bit of white) I am suggesting dusk, but that the trees are vey much alive and magical. Would Shetland be more magical with more trees?

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