An evening in the little forest woodland
Art in the Garden is a yearly art competition and exhibition in North Boarhunt, Hampshire. A truly beautiful venue, the garden of ceramicist Jan Griffiths, who kindly opens up her space once a year to artists and the public to enjoy and respond to.
The opening evening was magical, the sun shone bright as we sheltered ourselves underneath the trees along the woodland walk as all the artists spoke about their work, starting with Lucy Grant‘s beautiful meadow painting hanging from a branch and blowing gently in the breeze. She described her plans to create a series of paintings like the one presented, with portals embedded in the images to create windows into different places. As we walked past the temptation of Lucy’s portal, we found ourselves among the neon painted figures of Mark Kellett, an invitation into swirling mind. Mark spoke of his bright use of colour, and his inspirations found in nature and his experiences of fatherhood, as well as navigating his own mental health issues.
Rounding the corner my work was next, the concrete gate solid and grounded. I spoke of our human and innate connection to nature, how we have segregated ourselves from it and the need to re-open ourselves to the natural world as well as be welcomed into it by those that claim ownership over land through paperwork and bureaucracy rather than a local connection.
Re-orienting ourselves we were directed to Shayna Fonseka‘s carefully folded map works, where Shayna spoke of exploring the suburban environment she had been raised in. Documenting her journeys and turning that data into cutout-windows of adventure. Moving on from the careful precision of map making Carli Adby-Notley‘s work MOT-HER gently sways in the arms of a stunning yew tree. The tree invites us to gather under her canopy as Carli explains the photographs as connection and embrace between mother and daughter.
Leaving the cradle of mother and daughter we meander round the path to meet the female form of Bodhisattva Kannon Oceana, the bronze resin cast of Mark Hudson‘s stone carving of the Buddhist Bodhisattva. Mark’s interpretation is mythic and he speaks of the damage that deep sea mining will wreak upon our planet. The form of the enlightened woman, postponing her own nirvana for the needs of the planet is looking up to the heavens but is chained to the ocean.
I’m honoured to have been awarded the Judges prize for The Garden Gate that very evening. To be selected as winner among the variety of beautiful and thoughtful works in the garden dispersed in the woodland and meadow was a true pleasure. A few weeks later I was also voted the peoples choice! I am very thankful for all the kindness and appreciation of the work.
Thank you to my friends for helping install and lift the work – Collin, Ozzy, Emma, Cat, Luke, Josef, Millie and my loving partner Ryan. Thank you to Jamie my amazing step-dad for suggesting a better way to move them on pallets! I could not have done it without you all!
One more thank you to ACE grants for awarding me with DYCP funding which enabled me to pursue the project, to learn from Rich Holland and meet the team at 3D.Weber who manufactured the gate.
Note: though I mention it was a sunny evening when we walked around the site, the photos included were the few taken by me the day before the last day of the show, in the pouring rain!
