Re-involving myself in folk practices.

Folk festivities provide an endless scope of inspiration for me. Ancient in their history and spanning over centuries, I know now that artistically and personally it is very important to me to re engage with the old customs that are still in practice here in Britain. During these super fast accelerated times we live in now, I see it somewhat as a retreat from the modern day, back to something inherently earth based and organic. Much like my focus on studying walking and its history as an art form before, I am now moving away from this as my prime subject within my artwork. It has led me to current folk practices, while visiting numerous places for my project, such as Stonehenge, The peak District and Oxford for May Day along the walks that I did.

From a personal stand point, I have always been interested in folklore ritual alongside other things like anthropology and cultural history but only since September have I started to fully involve myself in it. Immersion in this subject, for example my trip to celebrate the Winter Solstice at Stonehenge has opened my eyes. What I want to make my art about now is my own personal journey with re-involvement in these celebrations around the UK, documenting them and experiencing them through my artwork and bringing them to life in my studio as well as taking my work out into the world. I think the most fascinating thing about folk practices is that that they are still alive and colourful out in the country even after all attempts throughout history to smother them. I think it is important for my work not to end up as static artefacts but as artworks that can be involved, worn, touched and experienced in the same way as I have been involved on a personal level at places like Stonehenge. To drag what is constituted as artwork away from just showcasing a work – my aim is to make more of an interactive event. With this in mind, I am currently delving into costume, performance and the language of props to explore the elements of folk history that have their hooks in me, nature, connective history and a sense of belonging with like minded people as fuel for where my interests are now.

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