Keepers of Time celebrates the majesty of trees, time beyond our lifespans, mindfulness and nature connectedness. It presents a series of intricate drawings created over the last year as part of Tony Wade’s project documenting ancient and veteran trees for the Woodland Trust’s Ancient Tree Inventory. This inventory is a record of the oldest and most important trees in the UK, and the Woodland Trust ask people to contribute by populating the map.

Returning throughout different seasons, Wade has created digital drawings of the oldest trees at YSP both with and without their foliage. The trees documented, some of which are aged between 300 and 400 years, include an ancient ash, veteran common sycamores, an ancient field maple and veteran beeches. The project invites us to take a moment to notice the remarkable beauty that surrounds us.

Based in Wakefield, Wade studied Fine Art at Bretton Hall College in the 1980s and currently has a studio at The Art House. Through painting, sculpture, drawing, light and music, his practice celebrates the everyday. He focuses on details that are often overlooked in our local environments and highlights the incredibly special things within them. Wade works within communities to facilitate access to art and spark moments of creativity. As part of Keepers of Time, Wade worked with the Wakefield-based Appletree Ladies Group to explore and document trees within their local area and at YSP.