‘Spirit of the Druid’ ~ Lawrenny

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Nature, changed through time by man and the elements, holds a fascination for me that goes way beyond the conflict between man and the environment; its ability to endure is formidable; its spirit will always shine through, presenting us with moments of breathtaking beauty.

In ‘Spirit of the Druid’ – Lawrenny, I am exploring the links between man and nature, attempting to question, through my work, if modern man has lost his spiritual connection with nature.

“Inspired by the works of Graham Sutherland, Jane’s images represent her inner vision of Lawrenny’s ancient woodlands, illustrating the sometimes eerie nature of the Celtic landscape along with the fortitude of the ancient Oak Trees. The project concentrates on the link between the Oak Tree and the idea of it being representative of a doorway or threshold to another world”.

Although I am photographing trees, my subject is not trees; my subject is the ‘Spirit of the Druid’; the mystical quality of the ancient oak trees within their habitat of the ancient woodland in Lawrenny, Pembrokeshire. It is surely no coincidence that the Celtic term for the Oak Tree is Duir, a probable derivation for ‘Druid’ being from the word ‘Duir’ which has also been translated to mean ‘door’. According to Celtic Lore, spiritually advanced Celts would access the ethereal planes of higher thought by “opening the oak door.” The woodlands evoke imaginings of ancient times, and induce the perfect harmony of being at one with nature.