TREE PORTRAITS
I painted trees for many years, living in the Wicklow Hills, where I was surrounded by Oak & Beech woods, and would sit and paint them for hours. Some of these old trees I got to know very well, and when you are looking intently at your subject, they reveal something of themselves that remains hidden to the passer-by. They are the breathing skin of the planet.
Olive trees hold an ancient wisdom and are wonderful to paint.The largest ones I have seen, in Southern Italy, Spain and Greece have stood silently for a thousand years as people come and go and civilisations change.
The avenues of plane trees in France were originally planted to shield Napoleons armies from the burning sun and many of those that I painted are still there, as tall as cathedrals.
hide