Wilmersham Common Winsford Hill
Click through the gallery below to discover four artists’ responses to the heath-covered commons in the heart of Exmoor
Three Bronze Age barrows and the 6th-century Caratacus Stone are reminders of the long history of human activity in these places. On the commons are hawthorn trees festooned with ‘string of sausage’ lichen. From the highest point of Winsford Hill the views reach to Dartmoor and the Blackdown Hills.
Wilmersham Common, Tim Craven 
Wilmersham Common, Tim Craven
Old Beech Hedgebank, 71 x 66 cm
Charcoal
Annabel Cullen is a painter of the human figure, and her feeling of connection with trees arises partly from their anthropomorphic and emotive qualities. She appreciates the movement and feeling that is often suggested in their seemingly static forms. Drawing is her chosen medium because of its speed and immediacy. She generally produces work in situ.
Annabel Cullen is a painter of the human figure, and her feeling of connection with trees arises partly from their anthropomorphic and emotive qualities. She appreciates the movement and feeling that is often suggested in their seemingly static forms.
Drawing is Cullen’s chosen medium because of its speed and immediacy. She generally produces work in situ.
On Winsford Hill
Charcoal, 84 x 62 cm
Annabel Cullen is a painter of the human figure, and her feeling of connection with trees arises partly from their anthropomorphic and emotive qualities. She appreciates the movement and feeling that is often suggested in their seemingly static forms. Drawing is her chosen medium because of its speed and immediacy. She generally produces work in situ.
Annabel Cullen is a painter of the human figure, and her feeling of connection with trees arises partly from their anthropomorphic and emotive qualities. She appreciates the movement and feeling that is often suggested in their seemingly static forms.
Drawing is Cullen’s chosen medium because of its speed and immediacy. She generally produces work in situ.
Large Thorn Tree
Charcoal, 78 x 100 cm
Annabel Cullen is a painter of the human figure, and her feeling of connection with trees arises partly from their anthropomorphic and emotive qualities. She appreciates the movement and feeling that is often suggested in their seemingly static forms. Drawing is her chosen medium because of its speed and immediacy. She generally produces work in situ.
Annabel Cullen is a painter of the human figure, and her feeling of connection with trees arises partly from their anthropomorphic and emotive qualities. She appreciates the movement and feeling that is often suggested in their seemingly static forms.
Drawing is Cullen’s chosen medium because of its speed and immediacy. She generally produces work in situ.
Crataegus
Etching on hawthorn leaves, 41 x 50 cm
Emma Buckmaster and Janet French share a deep love of the countryside and have been working together for the last ten years. This etching is part of a series capturing images of native tree species on paper made from the trees’ own leaves. It is a continuous process of experimentation and learning, and further trees are added to the collection each year.
Emma Buckmaster and Janet French share a deep love of the countryside and have been working together for the last ten years.
This etching is part of a series capturing images of native tree species on paper made from the trees’ own leaves. It is a continuous process of experimentation and learning, and further trees are added to the collection each year.
Winsford Hill – the Faithful Thorn, 49 x 59 cm
Watercolour and ink
Jo Minoprio lives high up on Exmoor where she has a studio and gallery space. Beech trees and hedges are her passion, and she captures them using watercolour, ink and woodblock printing. ‘We think of our Exmoor landscape as being natural and wild, when actually the endless miles of hedgerows have been modelled by man, forming exquisite sculptures of our time.’
Jo Minoprio lives high up on Exmoor where she has a studio and gallery space. Beech trees and hedges are her passion, and she captures them using watercolour, ink and woodblock printing.
The artist says ‘We think of our Exmoor landscape as being natural and wild, when actually the endless miles of hedgerows have been modelled by man, forming exquisite sculptures of our time.’
Hawthorn in October Squall
Oil on block mounted board, 25 x 25 cm
In his paintings of trees and woodland Richard Bavin seeks to capture the character and atmosphere of particular places in all weathers and seasons. Spending time outdoors is essential to the development of his artwork. ‘Bird song, lapping water and the wind moving through trees seem impossible to paint, but are central to my experiences and I love the challenge of weaving them into my work.’
In his paintings of trees and woodland Richard Bavin seeks to capture the character and atmosphere of particular places in all weathers and seasons.
Spending time outdoors is essential to the development of Bavin’s artwork. ‘Bird song, lapping water and the wind moving through trees seem impossible to paint, but are central to my experiences and I love the challenge of weaving them into my work.’
Richard Bavin discusses why he is inspired to paint trees (1:39)
Moorland Hawthorn
Water-based mediums on paper, 77 x 77 cm
Ann Blockley is fascinated by the intricate, abstract tangles and organic patterns created by trees and hedgerows. She closely follows their seasonal transformations of colour and texture. Through her artwork she aims to capture the sense of the landscape, subtly altering reality to create something poetic and elusive.
Ann Blockley is fascinated by the intricate, abstract tangles and organic patterns created by trees and hedgerows. She closely follows their seasonal transformations of colour and texture.
Through her artwork Blockley aims to capture the sense of the landscape, subtly altering reality to create something poetic and elusive.
Gallery
This exhibition was supported by
