Sycamore Gap Print: Iconic Tree Art Inspired by Hadrian’s Wall

After seven years of life drawing, I have turned my attention to trees, starting with sketches of veteran trees in Markstakes Common. This project, which began as an effort to identify trees recognised in a 2010/11 survey, evolved into large pen-and-ink illustrations and prints.

When the iconic Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian’s Wall was cut down in 2023, it became an inevitable subject for my art. Northumberland, the county of my birth, has always been a significant inspiration. Growing up, I frequently visited Hadrian’s Wall, attending Mowden Hall, a boarding school near Corbridge. We spent our lives in the countryside and then later, often driving between Northumberland and Cumbria, taking the scenic military road which runs parallel to the Wall.

In my quest for reference photos, I turned to my sister, who lives in Northumberland. She took pictures during a family gathering in July 2019. These images have inspired a new series of hand-printed A3 chine collée lino prints, capturing the essence of the Sycamore Gap tree.

Explore the Sycamore Gap Print collection to own a piece of this iconic landscape, intricately detailed and rooted in personal history and regional heritage.