Birmingham Sapling – Original Ink Drawing on Hand-Cast Cement Tile

An original ink drawing of a young tree in Birmingham, its slender trunk supported by wooden stakes as it establishes itself within the urban landscape.

Unlike the mature trees that often dominate our parks and streets, this small sapling is still finding its place. Its sparse branches reach upwards, carrying delicate clusters of leaves, while the wooden supports at its base offer a reminder that even nature sometimes needs a helping hand.

The drawing captures this quiet stage of growth through a series of fine, overlapping ink marks. The simplicity of the tree’s structure reveals details that might otherwise go unnoticed, from the fragile arrangement of its branches to the practical framework holding it upright.

Drawn directly onto a hand-cast Portland cement tile, with colour pigments incorporated into the cement mixture, the delicate black ink lines contrast with the weight and solidity of the material. Soft washes of warm orange and pale blue move across the surface, creating subtle variations unique to this particular casting.

Presented in a dark wooden frame, the piece brings together the fragile beginnings of a living tree with the permanence of cement, a material more commonly associated with the built environment.

Part of an ongoing body of work exploring urban trees, the places they inhabit and our relationship with the natural world. This particular drawing considers the small acts of care and intervention that allow trees to establish themselves within our towns and cities.

This is a one-of-a-kind original artwork, not a print or reproduction.

Details

• Original ink drawing on hand-cast Portland cement tile
• Colour pigments incorporated into the cement mixture
• Location: Birmingham, West Midlands
• Tile size: approximately 10cm × 10cm
• Dark wooden frame
• One-of-a-kind original artwork
• Signed by the artist
• Handmade in the UK

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