This October, we are delighted to bring you the first in our ‘Artist Spotlight’ series.
We want to use our platform to share artists who have inspired us and KindRoot’s Artist Spotlight is a three month feature on an independent artist who works with seasonal and natural materials, has an interest in sustainability or shares our values.
Nick McMillen is a Hampshire-based botanical artist and maker whose work is rooted in a lifelong fascination with trees, plants and the natural materials they provide.
Nick’s relationship with the natural world began long before he became a full-time artist. In the early 2000s he worked as a bushcraft and outdoor living instructor, spending much of his time in British woodland learning about trees and plants as sources of food, medicine and materials. It was here that he also discovered bark weaving, a practice he continues alongside his drawing, creating baskets, wall pieces and sculptural work from cedar, sweet chestnut and willow bark.
One of Nick’s recent works is The Queen Elizabeth Oak is a limited edition giclée print reproduced from his largest botanical drawing to date.
The original, created over five months using Conté Pierre Noire charcoal, depicts the ancient Queen Elizabeth Oak on the Cowdray Estate in West Sussex—one of Britain's oldest and most remarkable sessile oaks, thought to be between 800 and 1,000 years old.
Although Nick’s recent work has been dominated by large-scale botanical drawings, basketmaking remains an important part of his creative practice.
Working closely with owners of small woodland, Nick harvests bark locally to his home in Hampshire. By only collecting bark from trees felled during woodland management, it ensures material is gathered responsibly and given a new life through craft.
Nick’s collection of contemporary art woven from tree bark sourced from UK woodlands, fuses nature and ancient basketry skills with careful observation, patience and a deep respect for the natural materials themselves.
Visit our Artist Spotlight page to learn more about Nick and his incredible work
