Sentinel Trees

Welcome to Sentinel Trees, an exhibition of miniature art works from 13 artists and 9 authors. 

We are excited and pleased to be part of the Urban Tree Festival 2020.https://urbantreefestival.org/

Artist: Stella Tripp Writer: Nick Fox

Stella's art work and a 'root over rock' Rowan bonsai

Do not box me in.

Let me free to spread my branches.

Let them intertwine

With the boughs of other trees.

Let the blackbird sing

Amidst my leaves.

Let the woodpecker drum on my trunk.

Let my roots burrow

Amongst the worms,

Mingle with other roots,

Forming a meeting place

Deep in the earth.

Do not box me in.

Your imagination is vast enough

To set me free.

Let me spread through the evergreen forest

Of your imagination.

About the Writer

Nick is a librarian who lives near Crystal Palace. He enjoys exploring the local parks and woodlands and is a volunteer with the London Wildlife Trust.

About the Artist

'I live in Exeter – pretty close to my place of birth: Taunton in Somerset. But I travelled the long way round – living and studying in Israel, Portsmouth, London, and America along the way. I have made and exhibited art in all those places, as well as holding many exhibitions here in the south west. 

I work in a variety of media including painting, drawing, mixed-media constructions and ceramics. Since 2015 I have also been exploring collaborative performative practice, as a founding member of Preston Street Union (PSU) –  an Exeter-based affiliation of artists who generate new work and learning through social, collaborative processes.'

Stella sent Collect Connect a net to make into a cube art work

About the Bonsai

Stella's art work is placed with a Rowan bonsai which has recently been cut back hard to improve its shape and structure. The root over rock style suits the Rowan tree which grows in mountains and the tree is sometimes known as Mountain Ash. In folk lore the Rowan is the bane of witches. Its berries are much loved by birds, a great tree to plant in the garden to attract wildlife.

Artist: Dean Reddick Writer: Lucy Furlong

Dean's art work with a Trident Maple bonsai

Conker

From candelabras of petals in May, set

in heavy boughs that buzz and grow,

fan out over the road to Clonegal,

between farm and lane;

the end of Ballynastraw

                               Conceived by bees,

a-lightning scented candles with their pollen knees.

After the flowers, and sighs of summer

I will become what I am now; armoured treasure

ready to travel.

About the Writer

Writer, teacher and walking artist

Interview with 26 Characters

Bloomsbury Festival Poem October 2019

Radio 4:Women Who Walk

About the Artist

Dean is an artist and an art therapist. He frequently works with casting process and loves drawing trees.

https://deanreddick.blogspot.com/

About the Bonsai

The Trident Maple is native to Eastern China and Taiwan and is often grown as a street tree around the world. I have only had this little Trident Maple for a couple of years and I am still wondering what style of bonsai it will grow into.