I have collaborated with artist Anna Macleod for over two years on this project, which celebrates the healing of waterways and the rich biodiversity to be found in them. The project has focused on the Water of Leith in Edinburgh, which has been damaged through historic industrial use of the waterway, but which is now thriving through community efforts. This change in the health of the waterway can be seen in the biodiversity of plant and animal life now found along the Water of Leith.
My part in the project was working with Anna to construct textile pieces to be used in events and walks along the Water of Leith. The final pieces we created were a healing banner and seed pod textile sculpture (resembling Symphytum/Comfrey flower). To create these pieces, we used natural dyes from indigo and plants sourced from the waterway.
The work was made over two years through Reach Scotland residencies in 2023 & 2024 at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop and supported by an Agility Award 2023 from The Arts Council of Ireland.
Photographs from our event on Saturday 28th June at Stockbridge, Edinburgh. We led a procession from St Bernard’s Well to the Dean Bridge along the Water of Leith. This experience encouraged participants and passersby to pause and reflect in a collective movement, drawing attention to the beauty and significance of the river that flows through our community. Our speakers were Paul McAuley, the Conservator who worked on St Bernard’s Well and Katie Cole, Conservation Officer for the Water of Leith Conservation Trust. Both spoke about their work and the work of the community that protects the riverway and supports its use by the public.
Photographs from our event on Saturday 14th June at the Physic Garden in Saughton Park Edinburgh. The project celebrates the healing of the Water of Leith, with our speakers bringing different insights; Dr. Greg Kenicer Botanist at the Botanic gardens spoke about the native and introduced plants that support the health of the river bank, Sarah Clarkson a herbalist and artist spoke about her use of plants for tinctures, natural dyes and pigments, lastly Eileen Budd told us stories about people and their relationship to the landscape.
Exploration of natural dyes on wool and silk fibres using: woad, indigo, dandelion, ragwort, alder cones, nettle, usnea, beetroot, carrot and seaweed. All but indigo were collected by Anna and I in Edinburgh and Leitrim.
