In May 2022, the then Prince of Wales, in his role as Patron of The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC), unveiled a nationwide network of 70 Ancient Woodlands and 70 Ancient Trees in celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.
At the behest of the QGC, photographer and passionate conservationist Adrian Houston, along with fellow photographer Charles Sainsbury-Plaice and renowned painter Mary Anne Aytoun-Ellis, have spent the best part of a year capturing these historic specimens.
From 10th to 20th December 2022, these artworks, including Adrian’s photography of the 12th century Queen Elizabeth I Sessile Oak (pictured), will be displayed at a unique exhibition to be held at Sotheby’s New Bond Street.
The artworks will be sold via The Tree Art Gallery and also auctioned privately on 14th December at Sotheby’s, with a donation going to the QGC’s tree planting initiative. This project has already seen more than a million trees planted and was recently extended to March 2023 to give people the opportunity to plant trees in Queen Elizabeth’s memory.
A book featuring both Adrian’s photographs and those taken by Charles Sainsbury[1]Plaice will be published next year.
For Adrian this project is the culmination of many years as a passionate environmentalist.
In particular, he has used his most recent work to communicate the message to all age groups about the diversity, wonder and importance of our historic trees and the need to keep planting for future generations.
Commented Adrian, “Trees and woodlands are a defining and constant part of the landscape; the QGC is a unique way of illustrating how they connect us all on a universal level, as well as a timely reminder of the importance of planting for our future generations.”
The QGC exhibition will take place at Sotheby’s, 33-34 New Bond Street, London, W1A 2AA from 10th to 20th December from 9am to 5.30pm (from midday to 5pm on Saturday 17th and Sunday 16th December).
About Adrian Houston
Known for his warm, atmospheric images that fire the imagination, renowned photographer Adrian Houston’s works have been exhibited at such leading institutions as The National Gallery and The Royal Academy of Arts.
His exceptional eye for detail, as well as his meticulous, creative and relaxed approach, has earned Adrian a number of high-profile portrait commissions, among them the late Luciano Pavarotti, the Dalai Lama and Jim Carrey.
His ground-breaking images for the Mr & Mrs Smith series of travel guides helped put the company on the map and Adrian has produced a total of eight publications for this now globally recognised brand.
Adrian’s passion is conservation. His work has seen him travel to some of the world’s most unexplored and inhospitable terrains, with his powerful photographs subsequently gracing everything from advertising campaigns to magazine covers. In addition, the stunning images that resulted from him witnessing the eruption of Mount Kilauea on Hawaii’s Big Island were used to memorable effect in one of the Discovery Channel’s highest rating documentaries – Discovery People.
Adrian has enjoyed several high-profile exhibitions, including a fund-raising initiative for Guide Dogs for the Blind at The Haunch of Venison at The Royal Academy of Arts showcasing his customarily innovative portraiture, on this occasion celebrity figures with their canine companions.
