Shona Branigan Original Sycamore Gap Print, Blue A3

Original hand burnished relief print from the Sycamore Gap tree round.  Please note: this print does not come framed.

Shona Branigan is an artist printmaker who works from her studio in Grizedale forest creating Wood prints, wood engravings, woodcuts and Drypoint. She was commissioned by the National Trust to create original hand burnished relief prints from a  round of the Sycamore Gap tree. The resulting exhibition is called “Heartwood” in honour of the shape the tree created along its outline and is on display until the 19th of October at The Queen's Hall, Hexham.

"It is with wood printing specifically that my fascination with trees and their lives in the landscape is expressed. I felt privileged to be asked to print Sycamore Gap, and I also felt a responsibility to do my best so that I could honour not only the tree itself but all the people who loved the tree too. As a north easterner I have known Sycamore Gap all my life and visited regularly, the tree was such a haven in the wild landscape."

“The actual process of printing the Sycamore gap has been epic. It's a really big piece and a slow process due to it all being done by hand, first creating a printable surface from the rough wood, then applying traditional inks, before beginning the slow process of printing using a bone folder tool so that I can reach every nuance of the surface. The paper is laid on top and becomes embossed with the 3D shape of the wood and tree rings, which are the embodiment of the landscape in tree cellular form. It's taken several hours, and my muscles are definitely worked after the effort - but, now that the series of prints are complete, I am pleased and proud of my work. It's a testament to the tree, to the life of that tree and the lives of other trees to see, to work with it, to see its life, to appreciate it."

For the original prints (A4 and A3):

Shona has created  smaller unique original prints from the tree exclusively for the National Trust. She created a template from the heart shape of the tree, and placed it over the centre of the round, combining the wonderful heart shape the tree created, with all the promise of it’s early years of life in those first few tree rings.

The three colours available are Venetian red, ultramarine blue and gold mirroring the prints made for the exhibition.

Shona uses traditional Linseed Oil relief inks and a 100% cotton Heritage rag paper which has full archival specification so that it will last.

As each print is hand made there will be slight variations in ink density and tone but all the detail of the tree shapes and rings will remain the same.

For the giclee prints (A2 and lifesize):

Shona has created 2 digital images by photographing her original print of the whole round from Sycamore Gap. The A2 print is for those who would like to see the whole image of the tree as all the detail will be there. The full life size print is for those who also want the authenticity of its scale as well as being able to appreciate all of its beautiful detail.

The three colours available are red, blue and gold mirroring the prints made for the exhibition.

They are a Giclee fine art print on Hahnemuhle paper. 

A4 original print: H29.7 x W21cm

A3 orignal print: H29.7 x W42cm

A2 giclee print: H42 x W59.4cm

Lifesize giclee print: H96.5 x W127cm