This series evolved from a group invitation to exhibit at South Hill Park Arts Centre in Bracknell.
Increasingly, my focus is on the idea of nature-connectedness and the apparent tension between the needs of people and natural processes which has led to us becoming disconnected from nature. Through my work I endeavour to depict the beauty and fragility of the natural environment, looking for ways to help people notice how special the landscape is and begin to engage more deeply with it.
Increasingly, my focus is on the idea of nature-connectedness and the apparent tension between the needs of people and natural processes which has led to us becoming disconnected from nature. Through my work I endeavour to depict the beauty and fragility of the natural environment, looking for ways to help people notice how special the landscape is and begin to engage more deeply with it.
With accessible walking and orienteering trails South Hill Park and other urban parklands offer several ways for people to immerse themselves in the natural environment, becoming reconnected. The benefit of engaging with green spaces is well-recognised, but I find I respond more to the blue and grey: seascapes, big skies and waterside environments. Research shows this is true for many, with blue prescribing becoming a valuable treatment for mental health issues.
Urban lakes and watercourses help absorb excess water, preventing local flooding. So many of our 21st century problems can be solved through recognition of our essential interconnectedness with, and reliance on, the natural world.
Urban lakes and watercourses help absorb excess water, preventing local flooding. So many of our 21st century problems can be solved through recognition of our essential interconnectedness with, and reliance on, the natural world.
Working with earth and mineral pigments, some collected and processed by hand, I have painted and printed cloth to show glimpses of local urban blue spaces. Hand stitch adds a subtle extra dimension, depicting pathways through the environment, inviting viewers to consider how they engage with the outside spaces in their community.