Fifty Great British Trees

painting project by Alan Burgess

 

A few years ago, Alan Burgess embarked on one of the most ambitious project of his painting career. The trees forming the Tree Council's Fifty Great British Trees were originally chosen to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee and remain a fascinating cross-section of Britain's wonderful tree heritage. The aim of the project is to paint them all.

The trees fall into various categories; some represent the oldest or biggest of their species, some have legends or historical associations connected to them, some are rare and some represent species which were once exotic but are now familiar in parks and parklands.

Working from studies done on the spot in a variety of media, Alan Burgess is producing a series of oil paintings each 60cm by 45cm which can be shown as one work or grouped in various combinations according to venue.

These paintings will be available for exhibition as one multiple work, together with associated studies, from Spring 2004.

You can see more images from the project here.

 
     
Monkey Puzzle Tree, Bicton College, Devon, oil on canvas, 60cm x 45cm. Part of the Great British Trees project.
             
    "The Tree Council welcomes this exciting initiative by Alan Burgess and is delighted to give it full support."

Pauline Buchanan Black, Director-General, Tree Council