London Grilling: Delancey Real Estate Talks To Emmeline Hallmark, Founder of Tree Art Gallery

Hi Emmeline, your gallery sounds incredible and very unique!  How did you come to run the only contemporary gallery specialising in art inspired by Tree and Wood only. 

I grew up with an ancient, 500-year-old oak in the field where we played. I never really gave that any thought until more recently as an adult who was increasingly drawn to Trees in my personal and professional life. 

I studied art history at the Courtauld Institute, so my background as an art historian is in the 18th Century when artists such as Turner and Constable were hugely inspired by the natural world. Their copious studies of trees in pencil drawings and the importance of trees in their landscape paintings is something I miss seeing in contemporary art. Therefore, I set up a gallery to focus on and encourage talented artists who are inspired by trees and the natural world today. Importantly, artists' works can become important tree historians/records. The elm trees that Constable admired and drew so often are now no longer part of the British landscape, having been ravaged by Dutch Elm disease.

I strongly believe in the immense benefits that trees provide us with and frequently take rejuvenating walks through woodlands across the UK. Additionally, whenever we sell artworks, I make it a point to plant trees through charities. We donate 17% of our commission to tree planting charities because I believe it is crucial to replenish the trees that have been felled and to increase the overall number of preserved and planted trees in the UK and worldwide. Furthermore, I advocate for ancient trees to be granted listed status, similar to the protection given to historic houses, as they are national treasures.

Please can you tell us a little about what makes The Tree Art Gallery so unique?

The Tree Art gallery is a unique concept for a contemporary art gallery in that is sells and specialises only in contemporary art inspired by Trees & Wood. Furthermore, it is unique as a gallery in which every artwork sold leads to a 17% donation to a tree planting or preservation charity. This direct sponsorship of Trees encourages the protection of the species and, therefore, inspiration of more generations of Tree inspired artists to come. 

We have heard that research has been done about how trees inside and outside our environment have mental and physical health benefits. Can you tell our readers more about this? It sounds fascinating!

There is a lot of growing research into our mental and physical health, and the benefits of trees specifically. Arguably, the most important factor is that trees breathe out the oxygen that we breathe in. Without trees, life for humans isn’t sustainable. However, trees can survive without humans. Trees have been on Earth for 450 million years; humans’ early ancestors have only been evolving for the past 7 million years. 

Therefore, humans have never lived on earth without trees and so are inextricably linked. For example, just looking at trees is proven to reduce the stress hormone cortisol as well as the need for painkiller if in pain. The Japanese prescribe time in forests for people instead of prescribing medications. They call time spent in forests “forests bathing,” highlighting its restorative potential. There are plenty more examples of trees and their benefits on human health which we outline on our website and will add more as they become available. 

The Queen’s Green Canopy and Platinum Jubilee collection that Delancey Real Estate has recently acquired for its new office looks incredible. What is the story behind these pieces?

The 36 photographs are a bijou selection of ancient woodlands and ancient trees from around the British Isles. They are part of the 70 ancient woodlands and 70 ancient trees chosen to celebrate the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee in 2022. The late Queen chose them to raise the profile of these incredibly precious natural subjects, “nature’s crown jewels” and to encourage people to “plant a tree for the jubilee.” This created an increase in the Queen’s Green Canopy around the British Isles and was an important way to celebrate 70 years of her reign. 

What is it you love most about having a gallery in London?

Our gallery is predominantly online, and we love having pop up exhibitions. The exhibition of the Delancey collection was fantastic at Sotheby’s on Bond Street, where it drew crowds of people. The appeal of looking at trees on exhibition touches everyone’s heart. 

Where are your favourite places to eat and relax in London? Any hidden treasures you can tell our readers about?

I love to have a sandwich and coffee and then relax in the Turner bequest at the Tate Gallery. Turner left the contents of his studio (over 30,000 works of art) to the then National Gallery and the public are allowed to request to look at in their prints and drawings, now located at Tate Britain. The works are as fresh as the day Turner sketched them and to look at them closely is to time travel through the eyes of such an immensely talented artist. Without photographs and films of the 18th century, we get to experience “life” as he knew and saw it.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

 Yes, do get in touch with us at The Tree Art Gallery if you feel inspired by reading this and would like to invite Trees into your home and office. We work with artworks that start at £200 and go up to £200,000 so there is something for every budget. Buying Tree Art also plants trees for future artists to be inspired by so it’s an exciting and literally life enhancing movement to be part of - www.thetreeartgallery.com