Cranbrook photographer Joel Robison spent the past few years journeying into forests in Canada and the U.K, to visit with trees and learn their stories and secrets.
In the summer of 2023, he read a book called The Overstory, about nine Americans whose unique experiences with trees inspire them to take action against the destruction of forests.
What started as a flicker of an idea, soon turned into a long-term project. Robison began taking pictures of the trees that captured his interest, as he explored the forests of his hometown of Cranbrook and current home in the U.K. The photos, currently on display at Cranbrook Arts, blend whimsical fantasy elements with real-world nature, and highlight the connection between humans and the environment.
As Robison worked on the project, he became fascinated by the legends, mythologies and histories of trees.
He photographed the Ankerwycke yew, near Windsor, U.K, a 2,000 year old tree that served as the backdrop to King Henry VIII's proposal to Anne Boleyn, and possibly the sealing of the Magna Carta.
He was similarly intrigued by the 4,000 year old Crowhurst yew, a massive tree with a hollow trunk located in Surrey, that villagers fastened a door to, so they could host town hall meetings inside.
"This single tree that lasted thousands of years was the backdrop to massive historical events and it's still there and you can still touch it, and you can still sit underneath it just like kings and queens did hundreds of years ago. That just amazed me," said Robison.
"I get to be part of that tree's history now as well," he added.
Through his research, he discovered that yew trees were commonly planted in churchyards in the medieval period to mark burials for victims of the bubonic plague.
"They're actually poisonous. They're toxic," Robison explained. "... During the plague they would put all the people who died in one grave and they would plant a yew tree over top of it to signify that this was a toxic place. It was to prevent people from digging up the grave or from animals getting into that part of the graveyard."
More locally, Robison photographed a windswept and weathered tree atop the Wycliffe Buttes, against the stunning backdrop of The Steeples mountain range. He expanded on an artistic vision from earlier in his career, and recreated a scene in the Cranbrook Community Forest using a tree as a bookcase.
Forests have always been a place for solitude and reflection for Robison, and he saw the project as a way to make art more intentional.
"I found early on in my life that I found a lot of peace in nature, especially when I was by myself. I always felt a lot happier and clearer when I was in there among the trees," he said.
Robison sees the project as a sort of criticism of artificial intelligence (AI) technology — a slow-growing and intentional form of art that contrasts the quick and artificial images AI can produce in seconds.
It was his initial frustration towards AI technology that led him down the path towards connecting more with nature, and eventually creating the project.
"I do think [AI technology] it's making the industry a lot harder for people," he said. "I love the work that I've done over the years, but I can see how you could do it with AI and to not have to pay someone to do it, and I think that that's difficult to look at."
"I think it's going to make it a lot more challenging to get into the arts industry and to have real careers doing it. A lot of people are going to take the option that's the cheapest," he added.
Robison's exhibit Tales From The Trees, runs at Cranbrook Arts at 1401 5 St. North until July 5. There will be an artist reception and talk on Wednesday June 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will feature video commentary on the project, and possibly a memory tree, where guests can hang meaningful items and notes.
