:::::WORKSHOPS:::::
Seeing Green Wednesdays
at Weston Artspace, Summer 2022
A series of creative workshops and hands-on making and doing sessions explore the symbiotic relationship of all of the natural world - humans, creatures, plants, land and earth, as a radical act of gardening and growing together.
Work towards co-creating a new horticultural installation at the Grow Feral micro-garden in the Italian Gardens with environmental artist Jo Lathwood, and local artists and horticulturalists.
Green Visioning: Creatively imagining a new installation and re-imagine the town as an oasis of nature and greenery with Grow Feral lead artist Jo Lathwood and Karen Blake.
Seed Saving to Save the Planet: Artist and community gardener Karen Blake led participants on a short walk around the town centre to see what areas could become a green oasis. They then looked at how guerrilla gardening can be used to bring nature into the urban environment, learning techniques for saving seed from a variety of different plants.
Green Storytelling: Get creative with words, talk to plants and weave nature with storytelling.
The Art of Botanics - Plant Steaming: exploring a range of plant printing methods with artist Jayne Butler using batik and waxed screen printing, to create botanical prints.
The Art of Botanics - Earth Pigments: with artist Susannah Crook created and used earth pigments and paints in her own artwork, which are handmade using natural materials and plants. Participants learned how to create their own natural art supplies, and had a go at making your own artwork with them.
Installation & planting sessions: Participants helped to install the new horticultural installation and plant the micro-garden with lead artist Jo Lathwood and team, to create a space for all to enjoy.
This series of sessions was funded by a Green Social Prescribing grant from North Somerset Council.
Nature Mandala Workshop
Osprey Creative Activities in Nature, October 2022
Using a wide range of natural plant materials to create impermanent artworks at Osprey Community Allotments as part of their Creative Activities in Nature (CAN) sessions.
Mandalas are symmetrical, geometric patterns, starting from a central point, used by Buddhist monks and recognised for their therapeutic qualities enabling the creator to slow down, focus and bring a sense of calm.
The Art of Botanics: Cyanotypes & Mono Printing
Osprey Outdoors, July 2021
Explore our connection to the natural world through a range of creative plant crafting activities which both have proven therapeutic benefits for body, mind and soul. The womxn only sessions will be an introduction to the creative potential of plants, growing and allotment life.
Participants embark on a sensory tour of the community allotment site in full bloom to identify the myriad wildflowers, plants, weeds, flowers, and vegetables, which we will then gather to use during the crafting sessions.
Try out different direct-printing methods including monoprinting and cyanotypes as well as gather seeds from plants to make wildflower seed packs, and engage in green wording play.
‘Plant Kits’ were created out of these workshops which include a hand-gathered wild seed pack, hand-made botanical plant print, and a green word bookmark made by workshop participants. The kits are available for £1 via customised Vending Machines located around Weston.
Co-Design Grow Feral Micro-Garden using permaculture principles
Osprey Community Allotments, July 2021
Co-design a new micro-garden and create a seated, and part-edible growing area to ‘green’ Weston town centre for residents and visitors alike to sit, talk, and be with nature.
The sessions draw upon and explore Permaculture principles to develop a playful and plantful design considering the aesthetics of plants, and shapes found in the natural world. Permaculture is a creative design process and philosophy informed by ethics and natural ecosystems that work with nature rather than against it.
These sessions were led by Abel Pearson of Glasbren - a not for profit organisation and small-holding based in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Glasbren are intent on harnessing the power of growing food, together, for a brighter, healthier, more abundant future for all..
From the Earth to the Table: build a wood-fired clay oven
at Osprey Community Allotments, Summer 2021
Co-build an outdoor clay oven for the purpose of baking food grown on the allotments, using clay extracted directly from the allotment sites clay-rich earth along with other reclaimed materials.
The sessions will be a hands-in-the-earth experience - a physical and tactile process involving ‘puddling’ (mixing the clay-sand mixture with your hands - or feet!) to construct a unique clay oven to be proud of. The process of building one together, will connect us as a group as well as to our ancestors who would have used similar techniques for cooking food many millennia ago. The clay oven will be an invaluable resource for the Osprey community to develop food and cooking related activities in the future.
The sessions were led by Rachel Baker who has a background as a potter and baker, and has united these skills to build a number of clay ovens with community groups including Golden Hill Community Garden in Bristol.
