Walking Wheatfen

A collection of work created in response to a series of autumn and winter walks at Wheatfen Nature Reserve on the Norfolk Broads as part of the Broads Authority’s Water Mills and Marshes: Celebrating the Landscape project.

While walking, I documented my walks, made drawings and gathered plant materials for natural dye. Walking the paths and becoming familiar with the landscape, I noticed the connections between the slowness and movement of walking and how this is echoed in the rhythms and repetition of weaving to create quiet and meditative artworks that celebrate the beauty of the natural landscape.​

The colours reflect the seasonal availability of locally found natural dyes, while the structures are inspired by the wild, open landscape and the patterns found in the constructed paths and walkways. Conscious to design with the life cycle of materials in mind, the woven textiles use only natural materials; hemp, linen and paper.​

The Walking Wheatfen project was exhibited as part of ‘Woven Waters’ at Norwich Cathedral Hostry in 2020. ‘Walking Wheatfen Winter’ was shortlisted for the Vlieseline Fine Art Textiles Award 2020.