Since opening in July, Seen in the Trees, the latest exhibition by acclaimed artist Tansy Lee Moir, has been inviting visitors to slow down, look closely and discover the remarkable stories held within some of our oldest living companions.
Running until Monday 26 October, the exhibition is accompanied by a programme of special events that explore the art, folklore and natural history of trees through storytelling, drawing and conversation with the artist herself.
At a Glance
Exhibition: Seen in the Trees by Tansy Lee Moir
📅 Until Monday 26 October
📍 The Studio Gallery, Arundells
🎟️ Included with standard admission to Arundells
The Greenwood Bough: Tree Folk Tales from Britain and Ireland
📅 Wednesday 7 October
🕖 Doors 7.00pm | Performance 7.30pm
🎟️ £20 per person
Drawing Trees in Charcoal Workshop with Tansy Lee Moir
📅 Saturday 24 October
🕥 10.30am to 3.30pm
🎟️ £72 per person
✓ Includes all materials, exhibition admission and house entry
Artist Talk: Seen in the Trees with Tansy Lee Moir
📅 Sunday 25 October
🕑 Doors 2.00pm | Talk 2.30pm
🎟️ £16 per person
✓ Includes admission to the house and gardens
Looking Ahead: Joseph of Nazareth: Best Supporting Actor with Amina Wright
📅 Wednesday 2 December
🕜 1.30pm
🎟️ £16 per person
A Celebration of Trees, Time and Storytelling
Running in the Studio Gallery at Arundells until 26 October, Seen in the Trees brings together powerful drawings, paintings and monoprints inspired by ancient and veteran trees. Created using charcoal and natural pigments, Tansy’s work explores the traces of time written into bark, branch and root. As she describes it, old trees are “time made wood”, and her art encourages us to reflect on what their lives can reveal about our own.
Born in Derbyshire and now based in Edinburgh, Tansy Lee Moir has spent more than fifteen years refining her distinctive approach to charcoal drawing. Her work begins outdoors, among the woodlands of Scotland and the Peak District, where she creates observational studies that capture the energy and character of individual trees. Back in the studio, these encounters evolve into evocative artworks that blur the boundaries between landscape, memory, body and imagination.
Bringing the Exhibition to Life
Over the coming months, visitors will have several opportunities to engage more deeply with the ideas, stories and creative processes behind Seen in the Trees through a series of special events inspired by the exhibition.
The Greenwood Bough: Tree Folk Tales from Britain and Ireland
Wednesday 7 October | Arundells | £20 per ticket
What better companion to an exhibition about trees than an evening of stories inspired by them?
Join storyteller and ecologist Lisa Schneidau for a magical performance exploring the folklore of oak, yew, rowan and blackthorn. Surrounded by Tansy Lee Moir’s atmospheric artworks in the Studio Gallery, audiences will be transported into a world where trees are not merely scenery but characters, guides and guardians.
Drawing on traditional tales from Britain and Ireland, Lisa’s storytelling promises an immersive evening in which folklore and visual art meet. As Selvedge Magazine describes her, she is “a storyteller-ecologist who knows exactly how to charm the leaves off a tree.”
Doors open at 7.00pm, with the performance beginning at 7.30pm. Tickets are £20 per person.
Drawing Trees in Charcoal Workshop
Saturday 24 October | 10.30am to 3.30pm | £72 per person
For those inspired to pick up a charcoal stick themselves, Tansy Lee Moir will lead a full-day creative workshop exploring how to capture the structure, movement and personality of trees through drawing.
The day begins in the gardens of Arundells, where participants will sketch directly from life before moving into the Studio Gallery to develop their work among the exhibition itself. Along the way, Tansy will share techniques developed over years of studying ancient trees, helping participants learn not only how to draw trees but how to truly observe them.
Suitable for beginners and experienced artists alike, the workshop includes all materials and equipment, refreshments throughout the day, admission to the exhibition and entry to the house. Participants are asked to bring a packed lunch and wear suitable outdoor clothing.
Places cost £72 per person and the workshop runs from 10.30am until 3.30pm.
Artist Talk: Seen in the Trees with Tansy Lee Moir
Sunday 25 October | 2.30pm | £16 per ticket
As the exhibition draws to a close, visitors are invited to join Tansy for a special artist talk exploring the inspirations, ideas and processes behind Seen in the Trees.
Discover how she locates the ancient trees that fascinate her, how field sketching informs her practice and why charcoal remains such an important medium in her work. Through images from her sketchbooks and studio, Tansy will take audiences behind the scenes of the exhibition, offering unique insight into the creation of the works on display.
Doors open at 2.00pm, the talk begins at 2.30pm, and tickets are £16 per person. Tickets also include entry to the house and gardens throughout the day, making it the perfect opportunity to enjoy a full visit to Arundells before the exhibition closes.
Plan Your Visit
Seen in the Trees runs until Monday 26 October in the Studio Gallery at Arundells. Entry to the exhibition is included with standard admission to the house and gardens, making it easy to combine with a day exploring one of Salisbury’s most historic homes.
Whether you choose to experience the exhibition itself, spend an atmospheric evening immersed in folk tales, develop your artistic skills in a hands-on workshop or hear directly from the artist before the exhibition closes, there are plenty of ways to discover the stories hidden within the trees this autumn.
Looking Ahead
Our visual arts programme continues into the winter with Joseph of Nazareth: Best Supporting Actor, a fascinating lecture by curator, author and lecturer Amina Wright.
Taking place at 1.30pm on Wednesday 2 December, the talk explores how artists have portrayed Joseph through the centuries, tracing his transformation from a largely silent biblical figure into one of the most recognisable characters in Christian art.
Tickets are £16 per person, offering another opportunity to enjoy thought-provoking arts and cultural programming at Arundells as the year draws to a close.
