Inspire Exhibition 2025

Natural dyes and plant inks.

In October of 2025, I was delighted to be part of ‘Inspire’, a group exhibition at the Creative Space at Brightwells, Farnham, as part of Farnham Creative Networks offering for the towns October Craft month.

This opportunity offered me a great focus to create some new pieces, and, after many years, to begin to exhibit again. I am very grateful to Kate at So Kate Ceramics for inviting me to be involved. Our group comprised 11 talented creatives, from clay, to painting, to sculpture, printmaking and textiles. It was wonderful to be part of a group and to make some lovely connections.

When I thought about what I would like to display, I instantly knew that I wanted to honour the plants and processes that I work with, and to invite conversations about plants, materials and colour.

I created a central altar ~ a solar jar of hawthorn leaves, which, during the 4 days of our show, gently infused colour onto the wool and silk fibres that I had added. I also showcased my small intuitive talisman necklaces, woven with intention and prayer, and with the energy of the plant infused and held in the colour.

I took my spinning wheel too, some spun and naturally dyed fibres and nature dyed threads and scarves.

On the Sunday, I hosted an introduction to making and using inks from plants. Visitors gathered around the large table at the centre of the space and explored some of these beautiful natural ink colours and were invited to experiment with simple kitchen chemistry to create additional colours and patterns. I am very grateful for the conversations and reflection on my offerrings and this now has fuelled me to continue on this path, gently as we turn to a new year.