Recent and Forthcoming Events
The Landing Project 2024- 2026
I am delighted to be working over the next two years with artist Molly Brown on the Landing Project. This new project, based in Shropshire, unites artists, farmers, environmental practitioners, schools and local communities through on-farm artist residencies and a programme of workshops, public events and exhibitions. It explores how creative activities can offer alternative pathways to communicate about how we farm the UK, and constructive ways to imagine positive futures for our farmland.
We are very grateful to have support from a wide range of farming partners and organisations, and funding from Arts Council England, The Ulrike Michal Foundation For The Arts and CPRE Shropshire. We have additional support from Artists Emily Wilkinson and Joseph Schneider.
CPRE Hedgerow Heroes project, July 2023 to May 2024
I am delighted to be working with CPRE Shropshire on their Hedgerow Heroes project to run walks and workshops, one in each of the four seasons, for people to respond creatively in a series of different arts activities, and learn more about hedgerows, their use in sustainable farming practices and value in supporting biodiversity.
The next event will be on 6th February 2024 at Whitegates Farm, Moreton Wood, nr Whitchurch. Join us for a gentle walk along the hedgerows to gather plants and inspiration to make collages and artist books in a beautiful, warm indoor space at the farm.
Further details including how to book to follow
- Suitable for age 10 to 65+; young children will need to be supervised by an adult.
- No previous art skills or experience necessary
- All materials will be provided as required
- Please bring your own lunch/refreshments
In the first event, at New Invention in South Shropshire we made beautiful cyanotype prints.
At the second event at Cheshire Coppice Farm and Admaston Community Centre we made a fabulous array of monoprints.
An ecologist accompanied the group to provide insight into the many plants and living creatures that inhabit the hedgerows.
Participants may take away their own artworks but we would also like to invite you to take part in producing a collaborative artist book or larger work, which will incorporate selected artworks and writings to illustrate the changing life of hedgerows through the seasons.
The final event is planned for April 2024 at Brickyard Farm, Wheathill, look out for details.
Making Natural Inks and Dyes, Rural Art Hub
26th September 2023
I led two workshops in March and September in which participants went on a short walk from the Rural Art Hub into the local landscape to gather materials, learn about making botanical inks, and experiment with mark-making, simple drawing and print making.
Participants learned how to process plant materials to produce dyes, inks and lake pigments suitable for use on papers and some fabrics. We made use of found materials for handmade brushes and tools for making spontaneous marks with ink. There were opportunities to make ink, work with natural earth pigments and try out some simple relief printmaking and monoprint techniques.
Watch out for future workshops
Shrewsbury Art Trail, July to 1st September 2023
One of my monoprints, Shadow and Me III was included in this year’s Shrewsbury Art Trail exhibition at Shrewsbury Art Gallery and Museum.
Two further prints from the Shadow and Me series were shown in the exhibition at the Viewing Deck gallery, upstairs at Shrewsbury Market Hall
Landscape Intensities 1: The Expanded Field, June 24th/25th 2023
Working with Joseph Schneider, artist/director Rural Art Hub, we facilitated this two day event for artists wanting to extend and develop their practice in response to the landscape.
It was a great opportunity to
share existing knowledge, explore a common ground of theory and practice and test out new ideas in a supportive environment, opening out a discourse about the expanded field of art and drawing out the connections between art and ecology.
The event took place at the Rural Art Hub’s Mother Shippon studio near Welshampton, Shropshire, as well as on walks in the local landscape.
Walkspace 23: Contours and Crossings in Creative Walking, 3rd June to 1st July 2023
It was a pleasure to take part in the first Walkspace group show at Artefact Projects:
1464 Pershore Road Stirchley, Birmingham, B30 2NT
My Walking Territory artist book and digital collage Mapping the Pandemic were featured alongside artworks by 20 members with diverse practices and from all across the West Midlands.
My short film featuring the collaborative Roller (Rea Brook) and poem “From non-place to another” by Graham Attenborough was included in the film night on 16th June, hosted by Andy Howlett
Art & Climate Roundtable, 18th April 2023
I joined artists Naiza Khan, Sally Payen and Mark Richards in an Art & Climate Roundtable discussion about how our practices respond to the environment and how art can impact the climate emergency. The event was hosted by Andy Fryers, Sustainability Director for Hay Festival, as part of Meadow Arts’ Watermark series of exhibitions and events.
Worcester Open, 12th January – 17th February 2023
I was delighted to have my piece Sphagnum Magellanicum selected for the Worcester Open (Climate Change Edition).
At the Art House, Castle Street
Worcester, WR1 3HN
Exhibiting artists include: Helen Cass, Joe Black Ardy, Isabella Draper, Jamie Banks, Rebecca George, Maria Cristina Gardiner, Dan Holden, Vicky Harvey, Paul Powis, Sara Hayward, Paul Newman, Jain McKay, Lewis Graham, Sarah Jones, Melanie Woodhead, Maureen Heaney-Sykes, Frans Wesselman, Lois Karen Meiklejohn, Andrew Woodhead, Joanne Henderson, Issie Martin, Kurt Hickson, Ella Buchanan, Chris M. Allton, Marta Pedzik, Conrad Judge, Caitlin Carpenter, Tegen Kimbley, Richard Nicholls, Ian Pennell, Jim O’Raw, Jonathan Oakes, Matt Greenhill, Sylvia Wadsley, Shaun Morris, Shona Davies & David Monaghan & Jon Klein, Andrew Howe, Monica Perez Vega, Jeff Orgee, Cameron Scott, Sophy King, Jane Walker, Sharon Baker, Alice Watkins, Lorsen Camps, Jenny Pope, Nick St George, Elaina Arkeooll, Clare Wratten.
A Charm of Goldfinches, 20th Jan – 17th Feb 2023
A group exhibition featuring over 25 artists who have made work in response to Carel Fabritius’ Goldfinch, which is held in the Mauritshuis in The Hague. Motivation for the exhibition is related to the trauma of the pandemic, and with the pleasure and nourishment many people have gained from returning to domestic-sized painting and drawing, as well as the joy of watching nature.
The exhibition is co-curated by Bryan Eccleshall and Andrew Howe, and includes work of 15 artists originally shown in Sheffield which will be joined by work created by 10 artists from Shropshire and Birmingham. The artwork will be shown alongside poems by Kate Innes.
Inhabited, King’s School, Worcester, 12th Jan- 16th Feb 2023
I was delighted to be invited to show my Inhabited series of paintings and drawings at the King’s School Worcester. It will be the first time all of these works will be exhibited together. It is wonderful also to reconnect with Kate Innes, novelist and poet, who responded to two of the works with poems. She will be creating new work for this exhibition.
Please contact me if you would like to join us at the Private View event on Friday 13th January 2023