In a nutshell – I am currently in the first year of study for an MA in Creative Practice at Leeds Arts University and considering the following:

if and how can crafts, primarily basketry, in the context of visual art, forge a link between arts and the conservation of nature; how successful is this medium in raising awareness of, and engagement with, environmental issues.

Sustainability is fundamental to my practice if I am to champion the cause of the natural world through my work (see my preamble). For this reason and through the various stratums of my career, I have found myself amidst the cavernous aisles of SCRAP.

• 

• 

• 

• 

SCRAP is a social enterprise based in Farsley, Leeds; it focuses on helping the environment by reusing waste material from local businesses – originally destined for landfill – for use as a resource for creativity and play.

For one day a week, and over several months, I will be coming to the Maker’s Lab at Scrap, selecting, manipulating and transforming scrap material using basketry techniques; the blog that follows is an attempt to capture my progress during my residency.