timeless trees

workshop outline

●

About the Timeless Trees series

Botany and nature-inspired art are both fueled by awe and a deep appreciation for the natural world. This series of creative online sessions brings the two together. In Timeless Trees, we use the wondrous world of biology as a point of departure for making creative work. Do you love to draw trees, but wish you knew more about them? Would you like to let the story of trees guide you in spontaneous, exploratory artmaking? Join me as we travel slowly back in time and observe trees across different timescales.

Each week, we explore trees within a different timeframe. We’ll encounter the seasonal rhythms of a calendar year, consider the century it takes for a seedling to become a stately giant, and dive into deep time to meet the very first trees that lived over 300 million years ago.

In every session, I draw on my background in botany to introduce a scientifically grounded and awe-inspiring aspect of tree biology. We then spend time responding creatively on paper. The emphasis here is on the creative process, letting yourself be led by what fascinates you, and having fun. There is ample time to share questions, thoughts—and of course your creative work!

You are welcome to sign up for one or two individual sessions, or for the full five-session series.

All scientific and artistic skill levels are welcome. No prior background in either field is required.

Sessions are held live on Zoom and are interactive. Instruction is in English. Scroll down for the materials list.

Sketchbook exploring leaves. Paper cutout. Crayon and felt-tip pen on paper. Foraged natural specimens.

Sketchbook pages exploring tree and leaf shape. Pen and marker on paper. Foraged natural specimens.

(All artwork shown on this webpage is by Kristel Schoonderwoerd.
Click here to view creative work from participants.)

programme

●

4 June

Week 5

Deep time

400 million years

Plunge into deep time with me for a whirlwind road trip through the last 400 million years of photosynthetic life on Earth. Discover how evolution shaped our modern species of trees.

7 May

Week 1

What is a tree?

an introduction

You know what a tree is. Right?
The answer may surprise you.

28 May

Week 4

Changing forests

20,000 years

Even though trees are sedentary, forests are far from static. They decline, regenerate, and even migrate.

21 May

Week 3

The life of a tree: from seedling to centenarian

100 years

How does a seed transform into a tall veteran tree?

14 May

Week 2

Spring has sprung

1 year

An exploration of the spectacular unfolding of leaves and flowers in the temperate world.

Seasonal transformation of elder. Digital photo collage.

Sun leaf and shade leaf of northern red oak. Acrylic on paper.

Wood anemone in the forest. Water colour and pen on paper.

what you need

●

to work with

paper suitable for mixed media

marker pens (black)
and/or coloured markers

PVA glue and/or a glue stick
scissors
masking and/or clear tape

paper collage materials
collage materials foraged outside (leaves, flowers, seeds, etc.)

your choice of paints or inks
and brushes

any other materials you think enjoy working with
(spaghetti, crayons, kitchen sponges, bubble wrap—no judgement!)

to work on

a comfortable amount of desk space (or your kitchen table)

to connect

access to a computer with wifi and a webcam
a (phone with a) camera
Zoom and a Google account (both are freely accessible)