Line of Trees by Victoria Crowe (b. 1945) captures a dark green landscape of a line of evergreen trees among the sparse deciduous trees, with tall, rolling hills in the background. Crowe uses a green colour palette throughout this piece to capture the richness of growth still present in the landscape, with light washes of brown watercolour where there is the presence of winter in February, when the piece is dated. Crowe's attention to texture present in many of her works is visible here as the brush appears to have fanned out when painting the strokes of the evergreen needles. This technique paired with the simpler background allows Crowe to add depth to the piece and an overall wintry mood with the darker colours. 

Crowe was well known for her watercolour landscapes, receiving some awards for her work such as the David Murray Landscape Award in 1968 and Daler/Rowney Prize for Watercolour in 1982. It is likely that this piece may have been painted in Kittleyknowe, southwest of Edinburgh and where Crowe lived from 1970-1980. Kittleyknowe was the subject of much of Crowe's landscapes during this time period and reflected her interest in portraying the Scottish countryside. 

Victoria Crowe OBE ARSA RSW FRSE, born 1945

Born in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, Crowe studied from 1961 to 1965 at Kingston School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London. She has lived in Scotland since 1968, when Sir Robin Philipson invited her to become a part-time lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art, where she has taught ever since. She lives in the Borders with her artist husband, Mike Walton. A painter of still lifes, interiors and landscapes, she is also an accomplished portrait painter. Among her sitters have been the Earls of Wemyss and March, Tam Dalyell MP, Tom Morgan, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, and Tom Johnston, Principal of Heriot-Watt University.
Crowe's work, whether oil painting, watercolour or drawing, is instantly recognizable. Her distinctive palette and themes have been enriched by visits to Italy, Madeira, Egypt and India.