CAPTURING THE ROOTS OF HEADINGTON AND RYE
Over the course of this academic year, artist Emma Coleman-Jones has been drawing her way around some of the beautiful, historic and well-loved trees on the Headington Rye sites. Commissioned to celebrate the merger of the two schools, the result - on show at Headington Rye Oxford’s alumni reunion on June 7th - will be a number of drawings, working sketches and an illustrated map of the grounds featuring several of the significant trees.
Over the course of this academic year, artist Emma Coleman-Jones has been drawing her way around some of the beautiful, historic and well-loved trees on the Headington Rye sites. Commissioned to celebrate the merger of the two schools, the result - on show at Headington Rye Oxford’s annual reunion on June 7th - will be a number of drawings, working sketches and an illustrated map of the grounds featuring several of the significant trees.
Emma is a biologist by background and taught this subject part-time at Headington for over a decade whilst developing her second career as an artist specialising in trees. Her academic background, which spans anthropology, biology and environmental science, combined with a lifelong interest in natural history very much inspires and informs her drawing. Working almost entirely outdoors, she completes her work in situ using charcoal, chalk and pencil. This allows her quickly to capture the spirit of place and the character of individual trees as they appear at any one moment in time. Working in an opportunistic manner in all seasons, weather and times of the day, she aims to capture the changing light and mood through the year. Here at Headington Rye this has included stunning autumn light, monochrome snow days, new spring blossom and the deep shadows of summer.
Emma is a biologist by background and taught this subject part-time at Headington for over a decade whilst developing her second career as an artist specialising in trees. Her academic background, which spans anthropology, biology and environmental science, combined with a lifelong interest in natural history very much inspires and informs her drawing. Working almost entirely outdoors, she completes her work in situ using charcoal, chalk and pencil. This allows her quickly to capture the spirit of place and the character of individual trees as they appear at any one moment in time. Working in an opportunistic manner in all seasons, weather and times of the day, she aims to capture the changing light and mood through the year. Here at Headington Rye this has included stunning autumn light, monochrome snow days, new spring blossom and the deep shadows of summer.
Emma has certainly not been short on arboreal inspiration. With parts of both school sites occupying Victorian houses and grounds, there are several large specimen trees dating back to C19th as well as many interesting species planted since. Whilst the official tree surveys note over 75 different mature species, the true number,
including smaller and more recently planted trees is significantly higher and includes trees from all continents. Walking between the two sites on her frequent visits, Emma has also made numerous quick sketches of atmospheric Cuckoo Lane in all seasons. Here the trees from the two sites meet above the path in summer, whilst their roots will, of course, be inter-connected beneath.
Image: 'bum tree' or 'booby tree'
Image: View across Langley Lawn
Insights, comments and stories from students, staff and alumni have been important in guiding Emma towards particular trees. Without the enthusiasm of Prep School pupils, for example, the intriguing ‘bum tree’ or ‘booby tree’ might have escaped her attention, whilst looking across Langley Lawn on a glorious November day with archivist and Rye alumna Olivia Knops inspired her to return and draw this view. She has, of course, also followed her own interests and style, choosing the viewpoints that seem most meaningful. Sometimes this involves drawing trees or groups of trees in their entirety - such as the Turkey Oaks - but at other times a focus on just part of the tree is more interesting.
The magnificent copper beech tree at Davenport, for example, is most striking for its enormous root system and gnarled lower trunk, whilst the huge Cedar of Lebanon on the Rye site is drawn, partially obscured, from the Croft. Small scale observations have been important to Emma too, and her drawing diary and quick sketches note details of bark, leaves, flowers and seeds which she has noted on her visits. There is, as she notes, always something new to see.
In a further acknowledgment of the historic aspects of the trees and the school grounds, Emma has completed some of her drawings on vintage paper from the Headington archives. The warm tones and texture of this paper, dating back to the 1930s and 40s complements her light and atmospheric charcoal sketches.
Image: Copper beech tree at Davenport
Image: Prunus, sketched on vintage paper from the Headington archives
Emma will be in school at Headington Rye Oxford’s Annual Reunion on Saturday 7th June, and looks forward to talking about her work and gathering any further stories, recollections or comments about the trees of Headington Rye. Meanwhile, if you would like to learn more about Emma’s work, check out her website and Oxfordshire Artweeks page.