'Amongst the Trees'

Four friends from this area, who are already making headway into the local art scene are taking a fresh approach to exhibiting their work. As well as using Open Studio events etc., they are taking the chance to show their work together in short bursts at varying and sometimes unusual venues, which, as they see it, will keep their presence strong , fresh and inviting. They are determined that showing their work in different locations for just a few days at a time will also keep their energy positive and new ideas flowing.

All four artists find trees and woodland inspiring and express their admiration in different ways and in differing media. The four agree, however, that trees and woodland can provoke profound emotions which can be challenging to capture: A simple walk through trees might inspire, lift the spirits and engender calm, whilst a closer look can reveal the fascinating minutiae, including insects, micro-organisms, young shoots of new growth etc. that are vital to the existence of such wondrous places.

With their passion for nature and the surrounding Dorset and Devon landscape in mind, the artists have decided to give a percentage of the profits from the exhibition to a tree/woodland charity.

 Sue Barnes has been working as an artist based in Bridport for around seven years after being inspired to call the thriving creative town home following a visit that coincided with Open Studios when she decided to join the merry artistic – and musical – throng. Her work, including batik, papier mache and collage is mostly based on the natural world and she has successfully exhibited from both her own studios and in Lyme (Town Mill).

 Phil George moved to Dorset from the outskirts of London four years ago and now finds it 'a joy' to be able to walk for only minutes to find himself amongst ancient beech and oak trees and he says 'In an uncertain and sometimes unsettling world, these trees provide a connection to something altogether more dependable'.

Zee Jones is largely self-taught after an initial art foundation course which she took following redundancy in 2010. She is influenced largely by the 20th Century modernists and her work has been described as 'confident and strong, with a compelling use of structure and colour'. She is inspired, like the other artists, by a love of the countryside and coastline that surround her. She has also become a name to be reckoned with on the local art scene.

Alison Todd has spent the last three years discovering the power of working outdoors along the coast of Dorset and experimenting with different media. A new found love of building up layers of charcoal to tell a story of a place or moment in time has, in turn, informed her painting practice. Whilst developing landscape pieces she found herself drawn to the lone trees and clumps of trees often huddled together by the coast, surviving in the most challenging conditions.