In the Memory of Trees:

My work has always found its pulse in the natural world, celebrating the earth in all its shifting seasons and microscopic details. My practice responds to our modern detachment from the environments that sustain us, turning a specific lens toward our ancient woodlands and trees.

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Moving between the abstract and the impressionistic, these pieces reflect the tangible landscape but are conjured entirely from my accumulated imagination.​ I work to evoke the ghost of a memory or the distinct emotional weight of a beloved place, enticing the viewer to step into quiet, sanctuary-like spaces that feel instantly, inexplicably familiar.​

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These majestic, silent witnesses are not merely components of a landscape; they are complex living cathedrals, vital lungs for our planet, and deep repositories of memory. Through my art, I want to remind us of how desperately we need them—not just for our survival, but for our souls.

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To capture this visceral connection, my process is intentionally tactile. Working across various shapes on wooden panels and canvas, I build surfaces from an irreverent mix of acrylics, oils, watercolours, pencils, pastels, spray, and house paints. Into this fluid chaos.

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I ground the work by embedding found physical materials: fallen leaves, seed heads, weathered stones, pine needles, fossils, soil, clay, and sand. These elements break the two-dimensional plane, ensuring each piece literally holds the weight, texture, and DNA of the land.

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My creative lineage is rooted in the defiant and the expressive, drawing inspiration from outsider artists and irreverent masters like Turner, Bacon, Schiele, Twombly, Kiefer, and Hockney.

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Ultimately, making these pieces is how I quiet my own busy mind, translating environmental anxiety into a sanctuary of textures and tones. In an age when our ancient forests face unprecedented pressure.

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I hope these works serve as both an emotional anchor and a gentle awakening—an invitation to pause, remember our ancient roots, and protect these vital spaces for many years to come.​​
 

Rw x