Claire Leach
I have been fascinated by trees and woodland all my life and have been depicting trees consistently in my work since 2013 while studying for a Fine Art MA at Winchester School of Art. I find woodland to be a contradictory place, full of magic and wonder but also quite foreboding when walking alone. The light and darkness of woodland is something that I aim to capture in my work, alongside the tiny details that are often overlooked.
My work is intimate in scale and a lot of the time monochromatic, utilising ink. I'm not interested in recording what I see in a realistic way, instead I'm looking to capture the essence of a place, impressionism is at the forefront of my mind when drawing. I believe that there are no Arborealists members that are making work the way I do which would hopefully bring variety to exhibitions; in scale, materials and technique. As a person with a passion for nature and trees I know I would be a strong champion of the group, I've followed and supported many of the artists within the group for many years.
I would love the opportunity to contribute to the group in any way that I can, by exhibiting, curating and writing - I have written for Let's Explore Magazine, an independent publication. Celebrating the beauty of U.K. woodlands and forests with exhibitions such as the one in partnership with Dartmoor and Exmoor National Park Authorities is something I'd love to see more of and be part of helping to organise too.