Woodland Wander

Moss, lichen, bark, oil paint, paper on dismantled desk, 74x45cm.

2021.

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Woodland Wander is a re-work of a painting from 2017 that was originally conceived as part of my Þórsmörk series inspired by a trip to Iceland: fragments of moss, lichen, and bark have come to cover patches of oil paint of similar colour.

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The decision to upcycle an old artwork is driven by concerns over the responsible use of resources, and in recent years, the collection of natural fragments has become increasingly part of my practice. They represent miniature wild landscapes that have grown undisturbed by human intervention – I only collect pieces naturally separated from trees and fallen to the ground.

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The fragments in this piece originate from temperate rainforest areas in Dartmoor and the Scottish Highlands, the Spree Forrest in Germany but also less ‘wild’ places such as the North Downs and even my local park in London.

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Much like the act of foraging slows me down and fosters a deeper connection to the environment I’m walking in, Woodland Wander invites the viewer to pause and explore the colours, textures and smells of the woods.