Inspired by Trees
In Newton Abbot Joe Webster is now up 6 ‘stories’ of scaffolding painting a giant tree with mineral paints, detailed with words about individual’s relationships with nature using grafitti. In Crediton Catherine West is co-creating a sculptural ‘Tree of All Seasons’ from reclaimed textiles. Volunteers, perhaps a bit like the three women of Norse mythology who sit spinning fibre amongst the roots of Ygdrassil, the tree of life In Norse mythology, are crochetting and knitting ivy leaves which will climb the textile sculpture.
We are providing workshops in Newton Abbot and Crediton in association with both artist’s commissions. The art activities are designed to explore people’s relationship with nature – to help them see themselves dwarfed yet comforted by nature, and as part of nature.

In Newton Abbot, volunteers recently climbed the scaffolding with Joe to add the first layer of colour in a sort-of giant paint-by-number.
In textile art workshops, participants have explored memories of trees that have mattered to them in ‘freestyle patchwork’ workshops.
One participant said she found the experience unexpectedly cathartic. She designed a representation of tree in the garden of her childhood home, which she has been clearing.
Participants have also created collections of words to ‘graffiti stitch’ into an early plan for the wall that we had printed to fabric.

In Crediton, weekly sessions are exploring the ecosystem of a tree through the seasons, and the varied ways trees provide us resources as well as comfort.
In addition to crochet-ing and knitting ivy that will grow us the soft sculpture, activities include needle felting swifts (which will swoop across the celing), playful portraiture for a curtain depicting the station platform, printing with leaves, and drawing with a sewing machine.
We believe the process of making helps individuals process what matters to them, what inspires them, and break through interpersonal discomforts to personal stories, questions, and concerns, and move towards plans for personal action. What weighs heavily or feels like an obstacle is deeply personal. Art-making and being creative together builds trust and openness to possibilities. And spaces to mourn and process the implications of challenges, crises, and disasters, like the
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