Since becoming Artist-in-Residence at the Yorkshire Arboretum in November 2020, Jonathan Pomroy has been relishing the long and quiet winter months in the grounds. Read his latest blog entry below:
“I have been relishing having the arboretum to myself over the winter months, a real privilege. I am really getting to know hidden areas and have watched the change from autumn through to winter. I have concentrated on different parts of the eco system and particularly enjoyed sketching fungi, especially the many fly agarics which were common around areas of birch. My life long passion for birds has seen me look at the relationship birds have with trees. This autumn the hornbeam crop was very sparse so hawfinches have not been as abundant as they have been in previous winters. However I was fortunate to see a small flock in October and had some incredible views of this scarce and enigmatic finch. Crossbills, another member of the finch family, have been seen around the grounds on larches and firs alike and siskins and redpolls often feed in alders or birch. I have watched winter visiting redwings and fieldfares arrive and feed around the grounds. As winter arrived and leaves dropped smaller species of resident birds became easier to see. I have often found myself accompanied by treecreepers or goldcrests as I sit and sketch. A little owl that favoured some of the large chestnuts has been a delight to draw- we have spent long periods staring at each other! A female kingfisher has frequented the arboretum lake often feeding from the board walk area.
I have relished sketching the trees in autumn and winter. In winter I particularly love the play of shadows of branches on tree trunks, a subject that will feature in my end of year exhibition. Some trees are already like friends. The medieval holly by the perimeter wall is inspiring to draw and just to ponder upon. I watched its beautiful scarlet berries being eaten by redwings and wondered how birds may have fed on its fruit over hundreds of years, and also how widely those birds will have dispersed its seeds? Some of the old sweet chestnuts are like huge wooden figures- magnificent. My knowledge of trees has grown immensely and my respect for them is now immeasurable. Over the years I have tended to draw more open landscapes, but sketching the woodland environment has become a new passion. Trees are so complicated in structure and finding a way to portray them without including every detail has been a great challenge. Sitting and sketching them I really learn to appreciate the structure of individual trees and like any portrait I try to do their character justice.”
