“Artists make their own statements about their relationship with nature” (Maybe, R. 1984). 

Living on the outskirts of Derry, a mile or less from a border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, and during the thick of the troubles, I remember clearing the barbed wire fences with my siblings into an adventure playground of fields, trees, streams and marauding cattle; this landscape provided comfort and a feeling of belonging whilst across the border into Donegal, the melody of hills and mountains and the glorious abundance of the purple hues of heather, provided a welcome contrast to the ever present tension of the conflict that presided over my hometown.

Thus a attachment was fostered along with a desire to champion, shield and conserve the natural world; this has been the impetus for many of my creative exploits to date.

“Arts freshen our perception and enable us to see nature and the landscape in new and exciting ways” (Maybe, R. 1984).

I am at Leeds Arts University studying for an MA in Creative Practice, exploring if and how some of the challenges facing the natural world can be sufficiently addressed through contemporary basketry. Not a basket maker by training, my initial research has led me on a wonderful road of discovery, unearthing the joy and frustration of using basketry techniques to transform both natural and recycled/reclaimed material.

My enquiry has led me to Scrap: a social enterprise located at the Sunnybank Mills site in Farsley which focuses on reusing waste from businesses originally destined for landfill.

Follow my journey here…