Week Seventeen: Mindful Foraging

A Sunday morning well spent in the woodland at Rushcliffe Country Park with Wild and Wonder, learning about foraging during the winter months. I learnt that the energy of a plant is concentrated in the root system during the winter and so it is here that you will find the most nutrition. I also learnt that plants such as sticky weed, are better to forage when they are young and close to the ground. This made me think about the different types of plants that are available to forage through the different seasons, and how the plant itself may change from day to day. We learnt about hazel catkins, rose hips, dandelions and fungi. Rose hips are full of vitamin C and so I am wondering how these might work in a photography developer.

Velvet Shank

During my time in the woodland I thought about the tutors and mentors that have supported me so far. The majority of which have been women. This is something that is so important to me. I'm thinking about the significance of plants within women's lives through history and how this may have influenced the production of art and crafts. I would like to continue supporting women in the future - whether as artists, participants or contractors. I have been researching to see if I can find 'handy women' in the East Midlands who may have the DIY skills to help at the allotment with tasks such as dismantling and building sheds. I've been thinking about how the energy of women working together can shift the feeling of a space.

Wood Avens

I've been looking at models of 'thinking like a tree' to help me relax when my mind is overthinking with new knowledge and sources of inspiration. I've been reflecting on the roots of my own values that ground this project. I'm starting to shape the purpose of why I'm completing this year of development and have been seeking out further opportunities to grow in the future. I'm understanding that I need to sway with the challenges, lean into the light, and adapt if things don't quite go to plan. I'm thinking about what nurtures my creativity, and that time for rest is just as important as connecting with others.

Jelly Ear

Plant life connects me to the spirit of a place and its landscape. Whether it is fungi in the woodland or heather on the hills. I am also interested in the symbolism of plants and their meanings. How can we use the secret language of plants to communicate ideas, emotions or stories? When I have collected flowers and leaves to press in the past, this has been very much a case of preserving time and memories. How these pressings became sentimental to me but also sparked my curiosity of the natural world. I feel that now is the time to start setting intentions for what I would like to achieve by the end of this year of development so that I stay on track, keep focus and take small steps to realising my full potential.