Endangered Species
I am commissioning written work based on local UK species which are at threat of extinction, from writers including award-winning poets and novelists: Jean Sprackland, Helen Mort and Yvonne Battle-Felton. Through research and discussion with the writers, I will create a sculptural piece to accompany each text and the resulting exhibition will tour to a minimum of 3 locations across Yorkshire, from February 2027 onwards.
The exhibitions will be, on first impression, a visual feast of high quality artwork. Each sculpture will have an instant grab for the viewer, but will then draw them in to explore the pieces in more detail. A recorded text will complement each piece and engage the viewer even further. The combination of the two mediums will fully absorb people and build a strong emotional connection with the work and the species which inspired it. Despite the outlook for some of these species, the work will seek to bring hope for their survival. I want people to come away from the exhibition with knowledge about the threats these species face and a desire to do something about it.
'Least Minor Moth'
A piece made in collaboration with my sister, an established novelist. The brief was to create a short story in response to the patterns on the moth’s wing and I incorporated sections of the text into my artwork.
'Curlew'
A sculpture mourning the loss of their distinctive and haunting call from our landscape.
Story to be commissioned....
'Butterflies'
Including the 'Northern Brown Argus' butterfly and expanding out to all British red list butterflies
'Nightingale' - The pilot for this project came about as a result of funding provided by Craven District Council in partnership with Settle Stories via the FEAST Artist Networking Programme. I worked with the storyteller Sarah Deco to produce a piece based on the Nightingale which is on the red list of endangered species in the UK, meaning that they are of the ‘highest conservation concern’ - details
I hope to grow this project to work with even more storytellers and poets to tell the stories of other endangered species and I am currently seeking funding to enable this to take place.