The Ellington Trees are a series of conté and charcoal drawings that formed the core of my first solo exhibition in 2017. Each focuses on a particular tree within Ellington Park, near home in Ramsgate, Kent, a much loved space.

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I have always loved trees, and Ellington Park offers some genuine characters to capture in my work. Walks through the park yield new ideas nearly every day, with changing light, foliage, and seasons. There are some I return to again and again, at different times of the day and year, and they always offer a fresh, fascinating subject. There are others, despite my regular visits over the past year, that taunt but have never revealed themselves to the changing light.

But I am not the only member of my family to love this vibrant space. It has taken five years for Jasper – an Otterhound cross adopted at 2 years old – to become socialised. Most of that achievement came as a result of walks in Ellington Park. The accepting, embracing community of park users – with and without dogs – have lifted Jasper from sometimes crippling anxiety to genuine social friendships, and even off-lead walks. His deep baying bark is widely loved as “the best bark in the park”.

Ellington Park has enhanced both our lives, and these works hope to capture some of the unique beauty and character of this vibrant community space.