New exhibition - the intricate beauty of Petworth Park’s ancient trees

The intricate beauty of Petworth Park’s ancient trees is revealed in a new exhibition.
Broom Oak drawn in winter for the 'GPS' Trees exhibition at National Trust's Petworth House. Artwork ©Richard Geraint EvansBroom Oak drawn in winter for the 'GPS' Trees exhibition at National Trust's Petworth House. Artwork ©Richard Geraint Evans
Broom Oak drawn in winter for the 'GPS' Trees exhibition at National Trust's Petworth House. Artwork ©Richard Geraint Evans

Petworth GPS Trees by Richard Geraint Evans runs from Monday, October 11 to Sunday, December 5.

Spokeswoman Alice Johnson said: “Petworth GPS Trees by Richard Geraint Evans features incredibly detailed drawings of different tree specimens from the National Trust’s Petworth House and Park in. Each artwork has its own set of GPS coordinates so that you can discover the tree for yourself.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Petworth House is known for its exquisite art collection, including portraits by famous artists such as Sir Anthony Van Dyck. However, in this new exhibition portraiture artist Richard turns the focus to nature, capturing nine images of ancient trees in near perfect likeness. These specimens can be found in Petworth’s grounds, along with a cedar that grows at the nearby National Trust’s Woolbeding Gardens.

“Created with pen and graphite on cotton paper, then framed using sustainable softwood, Richard’s drawings help tell the story of the extraordinary trees at Petworth. One ancient specimen in the Deer Park here is around 940 years old. This oak has survived all the landscape changes since the 12th century.”

Richard said: “The first thing that struck me was the tree’s sheer size, not just the girth of the trunk but also its height. I myself first met this 940-year-old colossus with my mum in November 2008. It was a morning of occasional rain and we sheltered in its huge shadow; our sandwiches were saved and my sketchbooks remained dry. My gratitude is expressed through this drawing.”

The GPS coordinates of each tree are also noted by the drawing so viewers can experience a connection with nature themselves.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As Richard explains: “By writing the tree’s GPS coordinates beneath my tree portraits I invite you to visit the actual tree. I do this because I want to create stronger emotional bonds between people and individual trees. I believe that once we take the time to find, meet and connect with the subjects of my drawings we are more likely to care about the tree’s long-term welfare.”

Part of Richard’s work is about inspiring others to conserve the natural world and encouraging protection of trees so they can continue to provide homes for wildlife, mitigation against climate change and natural beauty for everyone to enjoy. At Petworth, visitors can support conservation work by donating.

Sarah Taylor, senior programming officer for Petworth House, said: “It’s a pleasure to see Richard Geraint Evans’s detailed portraits of trees at Petworth go on display in the exhibition room here. These portraits show Richard’s incredible talent, but also the rich heritage of Petworth Park, and the magnificent stories the trees have to tell. The exhibition really summarises the spirit of Petworth, combining both artwork and conservation.”

GPS Trees by Richard Geraint Evans can be seen in the exhibition room of Petworth Servants’ Quarters, Monday, October 11-Sunday, December 5, 10.30am-3.30pm. No advanced booking needed, but visitors are required to purchase a ticket to the site to enter; free for National Trust members. For more details visit the Petworth House and Park website.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After moving to London Richard worked in the advertising and design industries as an art director, illustrator and graphic designer, but in 2010 Richard became a full-time professional artist. Richard was previously known for his fine portraiture and oil paintings of clouds.

His portrait of singer/songwriter Emeli Sandé was chosen for exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London, as part of the National Portrait Awards.

Related topics: