Nurture & Nature
The Nurture and Nature project engaged artists who have a proven track record of co-creating with our local communities. The artists then embedded our theme of Nurture and Nature into their artistic practice and developed these art projects with those communities with extraordinary results. Each of our community-based organisations is firmly rooted within the rural areas of the Lurgan, Craigavon & Lagan River District Electoral Areas.
Our Artists and Community Organisations
Artist Heather Richardson has been working with Donaghcloney Community Garden to explore a range of art and textile activities, such as embroidery, applique and making wet felted vessels. The project included an element of intergenerational creativity as the group worked with the local primary school to create gel plate prints on paper and fabric.
Heather is a writer and artist, making connections between writing, garments and visual artefacts. Her art explores how everyday textiles, such as clothes, can tell a story through the use of stitch and embellishment. Previously, Heather explored how linen garments can represent the past, present, and future by expressing stories of time and place.
Artist Rachel Fitzpatrick has been working with Tannaghmore New Horizons at Tannaghmore Gardens. Together they have been exploring their connection to the walled garden and to local horticulture, translating the colours, texture and shapes they found into textile artworks by felting with unspun wool.
Rachel is an artist and designer, using tactile materials to create unique textile and fabric installations. Rachel’s inspiration is the sea and local landscapes, reflected in her work’s fluid shapes. Rachel previously collaborated on an ambitious large-scale exhibition piece from individual participant components, ‘so everybody gets to create part of the exhibition.’
Artist Deborah Malcolmson has been working with local community groups at Aghagallon Community Centre exploring the natural environment, leaf and flora, using a variety of printing and transfer techniques as well as creating some truly beautiful ink drawings.
Deborah is an artist focusing on fine art painting, drawing, print and mixed media. She has worked on a wide range of community engagement projects, including ‘Toddler Tuesdays’ and ‘Baby Art’ at the F.E. McWilliam Gallery. Deborah has a background in conservation, and previously she explored deterioration and unpredictability.
The project has been managed by experienced, local Artist and Arts Manager Hazel Florence Boland. Hazel previously managed ‘This Place’, engaging audiences in a new collaborative creative initiative, generating dynamic artistic interactions between artists and audiences, and focusing on engaging older people and those experiencing rural isolation in the local area. Hazel has since been developing relationships with our project partners and communities. Hazel’s experience spans over 2 decades working as an artist and project manager with galleries, museums, health trusts, community organisations and schools specialising in facilitating, programming and co-ordinating workshops/events/programmes for engagement, combined with a natural passion to combine arts, heritage and the environment to provide creative outlets.
As our project nears its end we would like to thank all our participants who have made this such a special and memorable project and also the artists who have nurtured and encouraged extraordinary creativity from all those that took part.
