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25
Oct
A local artist has created another work in memory of the Sycamore Gap tree.
Lucy Pittaway, who has galleries in Harrogate and York, unveiled her first painting of the felled tree in April.
The tree, which stood near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, was chopped down in September last year.
Two men in their 30s were charged with criminal damage of the tree in April and are set to stand trial in December.
Now Ms Pittaway hopes her second painting, called Tree of Hope, will continue the positive impact she has had on both the community and the environment since depicting the felled tree.
After revealing her first Sycamore Gap painting, the artist pledged to plant a tree for every print sold of the picture. This has led to more than 1,000 trees planted across the Swinton Estate, and a further 2,500 trees are set to be planted elsewhere.
The same will apply for every print of Tree of Hope sold.
Ms Pittaway said today:
When creating my initial painting I wanted to make sure it acted as a fitting legacy for the tree and positively gave back to the environment and the community.
I’m thrilled that through that piece we have been able to already plant 1,000 trees and have more than 2,500 trees to plant in other locations across the UK.
Lucy Pittaway with her first Sycamore Gap Tree painting.
25% of earnings made from the sale of the original Tree of Hope painting will be donated to the National Trusts’s Plant a Tree initiative, the artist has also pledged.
Ms Pittaway added:
These trees, along with the thriving saplings which have been created using the original tree, truly represent hope, positivity and something good emerging from a terrible sadness.
The new painting, Tree of Hope, depicts the sun breaking through the clouds above the fresh shoots of Sycamore Gap.
After that initial sadness on hearing the news of the felling of the tree, to see life emerging is so wonderful and was what inspired me to create this new piece and to continue helping commemorate the tree however we can.
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