Amidst the vineyard, ancient trees stand as silent witnesses to the vineyard’s ever-changing seasons. Once cultivated for silk production, mulberry trees now remain as quiet guardians, while gnarled pear trees entwine with the vines, carrying a deep cultural legacy. Walnut, gnarled pear, willow and fig trees merge with the vines, their branches weaving through the landscape’s tapestry. Though not trained as vite maritata — “married vine” — in the traditional sense, their presence recalls an old viticultural practice, where fruit trees were integrated into the vineyards, to enrich biodiversity and support the vines.

These trees create a harmonious interplay between cultivation and wildness, echoing a past where agriculture and nature coexisted more closely. Overgrown and entangled, they shape the vineyard’s character, casting shifting shadows across the earth with the sun’s passage.

This body of work has evolved through time spent observing these trees — capturing their details, shifting forms, intricate textures, and seasonal transformations. Through drawing, watercolours, inks made from walnut husks, and mark making with fallen branches, twigs, leaves and stalks, these works contemplate the quiet dialogues between tree and vine, light and shadow, order and chaos.

Each piece is part of an ongoing process — made from life, plein-air studies, and direct observation. These drawings serve as both a record and a departure point for further exploration and abstraction offering glimpses into the vineyard’s memory, continuity, and the beauty of this interconnected landscape.