Charcoal and Trees

Charcoal is one of the oldest drawing mediums on earth. Prehistoric cave paintings and drawings were created using a variety of natural pigments, including charcoal, ochre and crushed minerals. These were mixed with binders such as water, saliva or animal blood. To apply these media, artists used a selection of tools: their fingers, animal hair brushes, split sticks, and hollow bones. To ‘draw out’ their images, they engraved surfaces using fingers on soft surfaces, or sharp stone tools, such as flint, on hard surfaces.

One of the most famous examples of a cave painting using charcoal, is found in the Lascaux Caves in southwestern France and it’s estimated to be around 17,000 years old. Here, the fluidity of the charcoal lines and shading conjures contours depicting different animal species, which were native to the area during the Upper Palaeolithic period. These species included horses, bison, and deer.

Depiction of aurochs, horses and deer. Lascaux Caves, Montignac, Southwestern France

Charcoal has had a consistent presence throughout my practice. I use it for its spontaneity, high contrasts and atmospheric effects. I’m also intrigued by the process by which it is made, and in particular, the life of a Charcoal Burner, who lives and works in the woods.

In this series of workshops for the Artists in Residence at C2C Social Action programme, and in conjunction with a tandem project for the residency, ‘Living in the Outdoors’, I wanted us to emulate the life of a Charcoal Burner, by living outside on the allotment, and sourcing wood to make charcoal on site. Then, as artists, to honour this gift of charcoal, given to us by the trees, by drawing their portraits.

To make charcoal for drawing, it’s best to use willow or hazel; however, we experimented using a combination of ‘gifts’ found on site.

The latter stages of these workshops looked at the sculptural qualities of our charcoal, as the wood presented in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some pieces were made using fir tree needles, and after burning, their delicate details remained, while the contrast of the blackness of the charcoal against the piercing light of the tin foil, provided an incongruity. The wood had been wrapped tightly in the foil, so that it could go through a slow pyrolysis; which is heating the wood in an oxygen limited environment at high temperature.

The final part of this journey, saw the drawings exhibited at NN Contemporary Art alongside three pieces of charcoal used to create them. And next, at the National Justice Museum in their Project Lab. This took the the form of an installation piece, using a print of a participants ‘Tree Portrait’, on top of which, was placed the sculpture ‘Homage’; I had made this using a collection of the fragile charcoal pieces.

‘Homage to Charcoal and Trees’, a photo story:

A collection of twigs and sticks, gathered and cut from on and around the allotment.

Trimming down the twigs

Larger sticks, for chunky charcoal

A participant encasing the charcoal tightly with tin foil, so that no air will get in, so that the wood can go through a slow pyrolysis (which is heating the wood in an oxygen limited environment at high temperature)

Twigs and scrap wood, collected neatly in the wheelbarrow, ready to burn in the fire

Preparing the fire with newspaper and kindling. This was a test run using an old fire bin

It was a good idea to have a test run as the bottom of the fire bin fell off

The bottom of the fire bin falling off

Persevering with the test run. Placing in wrapped twigs and sticks, to go through a slow pyrolysis (thermal decomposition of wood in the absence of oxygen)

We bought a new fire bin. We are watching with anticipation

In goes the ‘official’ sticks of wood, to be turned into charcoal

Unwrapping a present of delicate pieces of charcoal

A participant has arranged the charcoal parcels to photograph them

‘Charcoal Parcels’

Photograph taken by a participant using a DSLR camera

The charcoal parcels present as a set of off-world treasures, and the contrast of the blackness of the charcoal against the piercing light of the tin foil provide an incongruity