Willowing: Springtime in the Twizell Burn Woods

Painted from sketches made on location in early summer in the Twizell Burn woods near Chester-le-Street, County Durham. The understorey plants are growing as fast as they can hoping to flower before the canopy leaves block out too much light. Here the bright morning sunlight was streaming through the willow branches, a flood of life giving photons. The willow branches arch over in the soft soil of the flood plain creating a dynamic pattern of silhouettes and shadows. Light also reflects off the bottom of the burn. An otter makes its way upstream in the shadow of the far bank. The truth is that for these ancient river valleys wildlife struggles to continue because of pollution and significant human disturbances including dog walking and trail bike riding. This is depite many of them being designated SSSIs or Ancient Woodland. Humans have colonised nature, degraded it and pushed it out all over the UK so sitting here as one of those humans, drawing in what should be a very beautiful place feels sad and almost an intrusion. Drawing nature however is a non-destructive behaviour so in my own small way I feel I am helping to restore nature by revering it.