Crafts and Indusrty - Back to Books Wellbeing Walk at Unique Cottage Studios by Katie Smith

This walk was designed and delivered by artist Katie Smith who invited us to her wonderful studio at Unique Cottage Studios in Spalding. Carolyn Bantin conducted the Mindfulness Meditation and we were joined by some inquisitive sheep. Carolyn's ancestors had been shepherds so sheep wrangling seems to run in the family! 

Katie designed a photo mission to help us look at our surroundings in a more creative way and we split into small groups to create an environmental intervention made from collected natural materials.

We walked through allotments and pumpkin fields under the strangely glowing pumpkin Sun.

Back in the summer I was contacted by artist Carole Miles to see if I would be interested in leading a Creative Wellbeing Walk for a group of young people as part of the Back to Books project; of course my answer was ‘YES PLEASE.’ Carole explained that the concept of the project was to connect walkers with the history, landscape or location of a place in a unique and creative way.

I am really lucky to be based at the picturesque Unique Cottage Studios in Spalding, Lincolnshire; not only is a working sheep farm but it’s a stones’ throw away from agricultural land and a thriving allotment. It would be impossible not to be inspired by landscape that surrounds me and I can often be found foraging for interesting leaves to create prints and cyanotypes from or searching out interesting sheds to photograph. I also walk through the landscape using it as a thinking space; I like the Latin phrase ‘solvitur ambulando’ which means ‘it will be solved by walking,’ and it often is!

As a socially engaged artist I generally take a ‘go to the people’ approach so the prospect of having people visit me in my studio for this project was an exciting one. Carole’s group arrived in good time and we started our creative adventure in the best way, with a cup of tea and a delicious picnic. I gave each of the visitors an enveloped stuffed with creative suggestions for ‘finding the magic in ordinariness’ which would be our theme for the day. We also decided as a group that we should leave ourselves open to possibility and to wander rather than walk putting the emphasis on responding to the sights and sounds of the landscape rather than getting from A to B.

The first point of interest on our wander was a clay pit which had been repurposed into a large pond. Clay Lake is the name of an area in Spalding which before the drainage of the fens, was a large clay bottomed lake. The pond is located in the garden of the owner of Unique Cottage Studios and accessible via a walk through a paddock – it was here that our first ‘possibility’ presented itself. 

Two curious sheep managed to follow us into the garden which led to a completely unplanned and totally unexpected sheep herding experience. We were pleased to discover that we worked very well as a team and disaster was quickly averted. We took full advantage of the peace and tranquillity of the garden and used it as an opportunity to take stock with a mindfulness activity.

We continued our wander through the allotments, down a winding country lane and through a pumpkin field collecting interesting found objects as we went. It was a lovely relaxed opportunity to chat and enjoy each other’s company. 

 Allotments

 

Artichoke

Mighty cabbage

Naturtiums growing in compost heap

Field of pumkins - orange glow

It was also quite surreal as we were bathed in the eerie orange glow of the red sun, the phenomena created by Storm Ophelia as it whipped up dust from the Sahara.

Back at the studio I introduced the group to the work of artist Any Goldsworthy and we talked about how we could use of found objects to create natural sculptures within the ground of unique. 

Fuelled by more tea and Lincolnshire plum loaf topped with cheese, we worked in pairs to create our own site specific art works. 

 

Abstract arial view of sheep made from leaves and twigs

Heart-shaped harvest

Leaf parcel

Wrapped pebble

Looking at the finished pieces we felt that not only had we found the magic in ordinariness but we had found the magic in each other’s company which is definitely the power of walking and making.

Walk Themes - Crafts and Industry

Unique Cottage Studios - What's On - pottery, mosaics, stained glass, textiles, painting, jewellery

Katie Smith - Socially Engaged Artist - more about

Allotments

Industrial agriculture - Spalding

More photos

Navigational Tools

We had a lovely turnout for this inspiring event hosted by Old Law Beacons Jo Dacombe, Kate Dyer and Carole Miles who had staged remote walking interventions in Northumberland during Walking North, part of our A4A Marking Our Tracks, Further afield project.

Carle's whippet Charlie was on hand to greet the guests

Jo spent preparation time climbing ladders to create a lovely backdrop with digital silk hangings from the Miles & Dacombe Light Walks For Dark Days installation

The venue was the very lovely Cranford Village Hall which was set out informally so that people could mix, mingle, enjoy the food and watch the presentations on Pilgrimage 

 

and Timed Interventions, Chillingham Cattle, 

Lindisfarne and Brinkburn Priory. 

Kate during the Hareshaw Linn Timed Remote Intervention

Jo and Carole transmitting instructions for another Remote walk 

The evening was an opportunity for some of the Remote Walkers to see what the Walk Facilitators had recorded during the 4 days of Walking North. They were also able to share their experiences of walking under remote directions and responding via social media. Everyone felt that the evening definitely inspired them to walk further and to look at the landscape through different eyes.

After a break for refreshments guests were invited to answer the following questions

What has inspired you today?

What would you like to see happen next?

What would you like an artist to bring to a walk?

How will you walk differently?

The questions inspired lively discussion and we look forward with interest to see just what the artists response to our feedback will be!

Before we left we noticed a hamper of foraged jams for sale, all proceeds will go to future Old Law Beacon / Beanfield Artists projects.

Many thanks to Kate for the wonderful soup, Carolyn Bantin for her delicious scones and to Amy Dee for being on hand to help with the preparations. Thank you to all who came and most of all, thank you to Jo, Kate and Carole for such a rich and varied evening, we loved taking the walks recalled, virtual and actual, with you. You can see other photos from the evening here. We wonder just where will our boots take us next?