I spend time in the central part of France….L’Indre. I discovered a tree in the garden called a ‘fusain’ (Spindle Tree). Originally, artists used this tree to make a particularly fine black drawing charcoal. Willow seems to have taken over everywhere in recent times. Faster growing and therefore more profitable. This is also true in France, but the generic word for all drawing charcoal remains as ‘fusain’. I use the tree in the garden to make my own original ‘fusain’. These are just a few of the results.
