Textiles & Nature: Crafting Natural Inspiration

In the course, students try out a range of artistic techniques that explicitly engage with nature or use natural materials. In each session they also have a foray into the immediate local environment to find some ‘natural inspiration.’ Activities include cyanotypes (aka sun prints), shadow drawing, rust dyeing, direct printing with plants, making a journal, ‘hapazome’ – also known as flower pounding – a popular if loud one – and spinning wool. 

This course was established pre-pandemic and then reformulated for online delivery. As in-person activities have resumed it has also been tailored for specific community contexts, including around heritage themes developing in our artists personal artistic practices. Our artists are happy to explore developing customised versions for employers seeking to support their team.

This course has been evaluated rigorously using a range of methodologies. Warwick Edinburgh Survey evaluation suggests participants are are more decisive, confident, and connected after participation. Participants have told us:

The connections and learning has been a great benefit to me both mentally and physically.

So grateful. This course has given me confidence, friendship and space to be.

I benefited from attending in many ways – so valuable to the recovery process.

This course has helped me to feel good about aspects of myself: this course also confirmed and highlighted some of the positive changes that are ongoing in my recovery. Thank You.