Seasonal Change 1: Winter Trees

Few things display the turning of the seasons more than our deciduous trees. The cycle of trees’ growth, decay and renewal; the tenacity and aspiration of their branches; the changing beauty of their foliage; all resonate in the spirit and mind of Man.

Artists such as Ansel Adams used the ancient nature of trees to portray the majesty of pristine landscape in relation to our own smaller time and place in the world. Others, like Fay Godwin attempted to portray a spiritual connection to the land. The Tree of Life symbol has captured our imagination like few other iconic symbols have managed to do, crossing religious and geographical boundaries and entering into mainstream art and literature. The Victorians planted oaks that would not come to maturity for 200 years and a planted yew in a country churchyard can be 1000 years old.

Arboreal time moves slowly and trees wear their history transparently, and unsurprisingly, invite anthropomorphic projections in relation to our personal life-cycle. In this portfolio, I’ve tried to capture and explore the study of trees in relation to the portrayal of time and seasonal change.