IT is one of the most photographed trees in England, is a past winner of the Tree of the Year award, has made appearances in renowned films and TV shows from Robin Hood to Vera, but it has never before been depicted quite like this.
Standing next to Hadrian’s Wall near Crag Lough in Northumberland, the Sycamore Gap Tree is an iconic feature of the landscape and a popular spot to visit for tourists and walkers. It is also the subject of a new artwork from Chris Wyatt of CTS Forestry and Arboriculture.
READ MORE: Big Rescue returns: What is it? When does it take place? Who can attend?
After years of pondering what to do with all the equipment he had retired after failing LOLER inspection, Chris launched himself into the artwork with the creation of LOLER Man in 2020 – a sculpture of an arborist wearing a costume made almost entirely of failed kit.
After visiting the Sycamore Gap in person, he was inspired to recreate it in ‘relief’ form – a wall-mounted sculpture in which the three-dimensional elements are raised from a flat base – through the striking use of failed ropes.
The finished piece took nine months to complete, requiring hundreds of metres of ropes, hundreds of hours of work, hundreds of panel pins and a lot of glue sticks.
Chris said he hopes to auction the artwork off, with all money raised being donated to Warwickshire Air Ambulance.
Anyone curious to ask him more about his process will get their chance at the Big Rescue Event which he has organised for later this month.
Primarily aimed at climbers who already hold the NPTC 206/306 (old CS38) ticket and would benefit from a refresher, the training day will provide the chance to undertake a range of workshops and simulated aerial tree rescues on broadleaves and poles.
All money raised from ticket sales goes directly to the Air Ambulance Service to help them continue with the amazing work that they do.
To increase donations further, there will also be a raffle held on the day that will feature stacks of prizes from the top names and brands in the world of tree climbing and arboriculture.
The Big Rescue Event 2022 will be held on Friday, 24 June, at Compton Verney, Warwickshire. At the time of going to press, only 20 places were still available. To book yours or get more information, contact Chris at chriswyatt.cts@gmail.com
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