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This work embraces the complex relationship between femininity and domestic space revealing it to be constrictive and imprisoning. The authorship of looking has historically been masculine. Reflecting on the often-patriarchal systems that govern not only the art world, but also the visual world, I want to re-look at the traditionally feminine and domes- tic based practices, ‘crafts’. Historically the art world has overlooked craft skills, particularly those produced by women whose works were often seen as inferior. My work is influenced by crafts such as sewing and floristry but also takes inspiration from another overlooked art form, Still Life paintings. In the hierarchy of art genres established in the seventeenth century by the French Academy, Still Life was ranked at the bottom, the noblest form his- tory painting at the top, then portraiture, genre painting, and landscape. Still life and landscape were considered lowly because they did not involve human subject matter. This ranking was based upon ancient literary parallels and formed the basis of academic teaching across Europe. Women were excluded from Art Schools and barred from life drawing classes, flower paintings and domestic Still Life painted by women were often dismissed as hobby rather than mastery. In my own works I carefully construct still life scenes: flowers and foliage are sewn, tied, bound and suspended into position before the camera. This controlled method is integral to the resultant pictures, using a large format 8x10 camera to capture the fabricated scenes. I carefully control each step of the photographic process myself, from constructing the scene to developing the sheet film, and hand printing the final image in the darkroom.
Seamed
Rooted
‘Rooted’ is an investigation into the Rowan tree as a symbol of protection, wisdom, and resilience. I am drawn to the Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), a tree native to Britain that carries more mystical weight than perhaps any other. Revered across Celtic and Norse mythology as a "Portal Tree," the Rowan exists at the intersection of life and enchantment, standing between the mundane and the otherworld, the past and the present. It is a tree of beginnings; in Norse tradition, the first woman was said to have been fashioned from its wood. The work draws inspiration from the wise and powerful women of folklore and mythology—particularly in Celtic culture, where female figures were regarded as the guardians, protectors, and personification of the land. These traditions shared a worldview that respected and protected the natural world, serving as an early form of environmental stewardship. ‘Rooted’ also looks to the symbolism of the weaver; from the celestial wheel of the Welsh goddess Arianrhod, who spins the threads of fate, to the Native American "Weaver of the World," who weaves the earth into existence. These stories suggest that the act of spinning and weaving is a fundamental pulse in our collective history. In the British Isles, the Rowan remains the mystical tree of the Celtic world, believed to hold sway against the forces of darkness. Protective amulets have long been crafted from its wood, bound with red thread to shield homes, livestock, and children. Even today, a Rowan growing beside a house is said to afford protection to all who dwell within. In my ongoing practice, I translate mythologies into carefully constructed still life scenes photographed in the studio. For this series, I’ve used five Rowan saplings and botanical items ethically foraged from my local woodland, Stanmer Park. Ritual weaving of thread amongst the roots creates a streaming, organic growth: a physical enactment of the protective amulets found in the folklore. I capture these scenes using an 8x10 large format camera, developing and hand-printing the photographs in the darkroom. This mirrors the slow, deliberate pace of nature as well as the generational passing of stories through time. I view my creative process a form of "rooting." These ancient stories are not static relics; they are living roots that must continue to grow, offering us a sense of protection and belonging in an ever-changing landscape. Through folklore, ritual, and mythology, our ancestors fostered a profound bond with their environment—a connection that remains vital to revere and pass down today.
