Making with Nature

By: on18th December 2022
Preparing to make paper with collected reeds and purple moor grass

Walking is fundamental to my exploration of places, and from this I seek a close relationship with the landscape, using found or foraged materials to make art. In many of the public workshops and events I lead I encourage people to develop skills and work closer with nature, often working alongside historians, ecologists or other specialists. This more informal approach for learning combined with creativity can be a powerful way to build connection with nature. 

Creative activities for short half day or drop in workshops have included:

  • Cyanotype printmaking using gathered plants (ideally in Spring/Summer)
  • Drawing/markmaking using botanical inks
  • Collage/artist bookmaking
  • Monoprint with Gelplate or simple relief printmaking using plasticine print plates

More involved activities that require more preparation time, spacious venues with facilities for water supply and processing materials, or more time for works to be developed:

  • Papermaking using gathered plants/found materials
  • Ecoprinting

Example events:

Shropshire Love Nature Festival 2022 – the Great Paper Caper

Working with artist, Joseph Schneider, director at Rural Arts Hub CIC near Welshampton, we led an exciting workshop in which participants learnt how to make handmade paper using locally gathered plants, and then joined in making a large collaborative paper artwork.

purple moor grass for pulping
preparing organic pulp
preparing recycled paper pulp
preparing pulp
using mould & deckle
applying pulp to large screen
layout out sheets to dry
explaining the process
Finishing touches
Observing the results

Such an exciting workshop. You get delightfully messy and create amazing pieces of paper. We used all sorts of natural materials. Thoroughly recommend this workshop

Moxy

Tewkesbury Nature Reserve

I led a walk and workshop exploring the nature reserve and using gathered plants in cyanotype printing and simple relief print making.

Relief prints
Relief prints
cyanotype prints
cyanotype print
cyanotype print
Tewkesbury Nature Reserve
Gathering materials

Shropshire Love Nature Festival 2021

I worked alongside Anna Martin from Shropshire Wildlife Trust at Whixall Marina to use foraged plants and materials in a monoprint workshop using Gelplates.