The Riverlands Collection includes five sets of high-quality professional pencils inspired by the National Trust’s river conservation work and made by Derwent in the United Kingdom. All five collectable sets feature bespoke illustrations by WIA award-winning Illustrator and member Claudine O’Sullivan, who’s also one of our mentors in our yearly mentorship scheme. 

The illustrations are inspired by the flora and fauna in the National Trust’s care, including otters, kingfishers, and dragonflies. Each artwork is created with pencils from the Derwent and National Trust Riverlands Collection, using each set’s colour palette.

Designed for drawing outside as well as inside, the new collection offers all the necessary assets that allows individuals to explore and capture nature on the move.

The collection is also part of an eco-conscious mission. 10% of each product sold (a minimum of £10,000) from the Derwent and National Trust Riverlands Collection will go to the River Derwent programme, part of National Trust’s Riverlands Project, a national conservation programme to restore a healthy environment within rivers and protect wildlife. 

“Rivers are the lifeblood of our landscapes but many of them – and the wider landscapes that feed into them – are in desperate need of repair”
– Hilary McGrady, Director-General, National Trust.

The Riverlands Project addresses some of the biggest challenges facing UK nature, including climate change, intensive farming, pollution and an increase in invasive non-native species. In response, the National Trust’s Riverlands Project focuses on restoring rivers, restoring wildlife and habitats, promoting nature-friendly farming, providing opportunities for people to reconnect with nature, and engaging with local communities. The Derwent and National Trust Riverlands Collection will support and promote this vital effort to restore a healthy and natural environment.

You can see more of the project in Claudine O’Sullivan’s portfolio.

All five sets in the Derwent and National Trust Riverlands Collection are available in selected retailers across the UK and via derwentart.com.