Page 27 - Landscape-Issue126

FEATURE

Painting of a Camphor tree, declared a Painting of an ancient Oak, believed to be the oldest Oak tree in Africa Painting of the Royal Oak, planted in 1928
national monument in 1942
TREE ARTIST AT VERGELEGEN

Visitors to Vergelegen Wine Estate in Somerset West have marvelled at its
magnificent trees since the farm was established over 300 years ago. Several
of these arboreal treasures have been captured for posterity in a series of oil
paintings by one of South Africa’s most talented tree artists.

ohannesburg-based Dorothy Clark,
who is renowned for her oil on canvas
Jworks featuring trees, plants, bushes
and succulents, recently completed eight
artworks during a month-long stay at the
estate.
Based in a cottage in the heart of the
spectacular gardens, Dorothy had the
rare privilege of devoting herself fully to
capturing the essence of this provincial
heritage site.
Her subject matter included portrayals
of a hollow old English Oak, about 300
years old, believed to be the oldest living
Oak in Africa. There is also the Royal Oak,
planted in 1928, a descendant of King
Alfred’s Oak trees at Blenheim Palace in
England. Her portrayal of this Oak has a
pink cloud in the background, as a fire Artist Dorothy Clark working in the Vergelegen gardens
was raging in the Helderberg at the time.
Dorothy was also inspired by the where she obtained an MA in Fine Arts, Vergelegen, travelled to the estate and
enormous Camphor trees (Cinnamomum graduating in 1974. agreed that “we need renderings that
camphora) in front of the homestead, At the start of her career, she trained show the trees’ spirit and essence.” She had
proclaimed national monuments in 1942. a team of Zimbabwean painters and met Dorothy at her first solo exhibition of
Additional paintings include the collaborated with leading interior trees and plants at the In Toto Gallery in
Camphor tree forest, the former wine designers for 25 years, before devoting Johannesburg, and Megan had a “lightbulb
cellar now used as a library, and the herself to nature paintings. Her favourite moment” when she realised that Dorothy
cottage of the resident horticulturist. tree is the classic, flat-topped Paperback would be the perfect artist to capture the
“I see trees as sentinels and custodians, Thorn (Acacia sieberiana) which she beauty of Vergelegen.
and always paint an individual portrait of “paints obsessively – you can recognise a The striking paintings are now on
a particular tree, not a generic,” says the silhouette from 50 metres.” display, and for sale, at Vergelegen’s Café
Port Elizabeth-born artist. “Trees have Her visit was organised by Vergelegen Fleur restaurant in Somerset West.
seen it all, they don’t care who comes and MD Wayne Coetzer, who was eager to
goes.” document the estate’s magnificent trees. Text and photos supplied by Meropa
Dorothy’s art training took place at Megan Scott, the art and visual assets Communications on behalf of Vergelegen Wine
Rhodes University in Grahamstown curator for Anglo American, which owns Estate.
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