An artistic tribute to the Sycamore of Hadrian’s Wall is to be auctioned for charity, one year on from when vandals felled the iconic tree.
A forged steel replica of a sycamore seed, crafted by blacksmith artist Stephen Lunn and his daughter Ashlee Donaldson, will be auctioned for Seeds2Trees, a community interest project.
One of just 50 in a limited edition series, money from the artwork will go on to fund tree growth from seeds to create woodlands of the future.
The metal seed, measuring 13.5 inches by 3, was forged a year ago “to celebrate the wonder tree we knew as Sycamore Gap”. A sycamore tree image is crafted onto the seed.
The Seeds2Trees project is dedicated to the creation and sustainable management of woodland by supporting and empowering local people to create and care for woodlands in and around their communities across the North of England and has planted thousands of trees over the last few years.
Seeds2Trees organises and supervises individuals, families, schools and community groups to grow seeds at home, which will be collected to become the woodland of the future.
“It’s particularly poignant when we consider the reason why we have this special Sycamore seed for auction,” said Lara Young, the project leader.
“Each piece comes with a message to ‘fly and spread your seeds’, so people bidding for this will be helping new seeds to be spread for new trees. More new trees will have a chance to grow, from seeds of trees and seeds of understanding and respect. It will help turn sadness into hope.”
Artists Stephen and Ashlee are at the forefront of the revival of blacksmithing and its evolution into an art form.
Their forge near Morpeth in Northumberland has been in the family since 1921; Stephen himself started work there in 1975. Their work can be seen in Alnwick Gardens, on the benches in Alnwick Market Square, and includes the peace sculpture in the seaside town of Amble.
Stephen, known as Anvilman, said: “My grandfather prided himself in providing quality service and workmanship when our main business came from shoeing farm horses."
“The business has evolved and I now class myself as an artist as well as a blacksmith. I combine traditional methods of forging that have been passed down through the generations with my inspirations drawn from nature in the form of modern contemporary designs.”
Says Lara: “Stephen is passionate about trees himself, having created a piece of woodland over many years, taking pride and joy in every tree that he has planted and seen matured.
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“We have been given a wonderful opportunity to auction this very special piece of artwork that can help new trees to be grown by the community, enabling new life, hope and a new legacy for our future generations.”
Launched in 2022, Seeds2Trees now supports more than 300 individuals, families and groups in rural and urban locations, growing new British native trees from seed that they have supplied. Each batch of seeds has the potential to grow 100 new trees - oak, hazel, common alder and silver birch. The saplings from the first round of the project in 2022 will be collected this November and grown in a community nursery at Brampton in Cumbria.
The link for the auction is here.
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