mindSCAPE's first workshop is magical

Tuesday July 8, 2014

mindSCAPE works its Magic

SESSION 1

It’s 10am, the morning of the first session at the Bracelands Adventure Centre.  The interest in the project so far has been overwhelming, lots of people have booked onto the session today – the weather report has suggested some heavy rain later, so I’ll be interested to see how many people make it along to the session.  I’m going to start the day by taking a walk down to the woods just behind the Bracelands centre to check on the log circle which will be the location for today’s activity.  The log circle has been recently installed by New Leaf – an organisation that works with ex-offenders, they have done an incredible job.  The log circle has 5 seats made of split Douglas fir tree trunks, with a central fire pit.  The circle is flanked with hurdles of woven hazel, that give the log circle area a very private, cosy feel.  A number of tree stumps surrounding the circle have been carved to look like fairy toad stools – in one word, it’s magical!   I sit there for a while and notice that it is incredibly peaceful – no traffic noise, just lively birdsong from the surrounding Douglas, ash and lime trees.  Artist Rachel Shilston joins me at the site.  Today she will deliver a natural sculpture workshop.

We return to the Bracelands house and wait for participants to arrive.  Rachel and I are joined by Nikki Moore (Wye Valley AONB) Sue Carruthers (Artspace) and Sue Manser (Volunteer, ex-nurse, NHS Consultant) who are all eagerly on hand to welcome people, dish out name badges and of course the all-important cups of coffee and tea!   The participants arrive, we are delighted to see such a great turnout – nobody has been frightened off by the ominous weather report – everyone seems eager to get started with the first mindSCAPE activity.

11.30am We stroll down to the log circle.  A beautiful activity in itself, the walk leads us through a pretty meadow flanked with various trees and shrubbery.  Participants are chatting and commenting that it’s ‘nice to be out’ in the fresh air.  Rachel begins the session by encouraging participants to gather small items to decorate a book mark – everyone dispersed with great enthusiasm to collect tiny flowers, bits of moss, small leaves, fern and bark, seeds and pine needles from the woods.  They then laid their finds onto a strip of sticky card which would be laminated afterwards to make a bookmark. 

Natural Bookmarks

The difference in people’s designs was of interest, some people arranged their items to look like micro-landscapes, others preferred to collate their items to depict a single flower or tree, others arranged their items to form more stylised patterns and designs.  People commented on how enjoyable it was to seek out and focus on the tiny, small things that you often wander past absent-mindedly.  Who knew there were so many varieties of moss, each configured so differently, with such beautiful intricate detail?  Another person commented on the fact that they had never really paid attention to the very pretty white flowers that grow on nettles!    Even a handful of the forest floor, on close examination, revealed a plethora of needles, seed pods and leaf fragments.

Rachel’s second activity, in contract, encouraged participants to ‘up-scale’ their focus. 

Hannah admires the natural sculpture work

She showed the group a book of ‘land art’ by artist Andy Goldsworthy – his inspiring work uses natural objects like stone, ice, feathers and wood.  His work is large in scale but temporary, made and set within the natural environment and often influenced by the elements – the work is created, then photographed.  
So, now we set off to seek out larger objects, fallen branches, sticks, pine cones, fern fronds, long bright green grasses, handfuls of fallen leaves.  Participants arrange, stack and spread their finds, making shapes and designs on the floor, on the seats of the log circle – some participants decide to capitalise on the existing natural structures of the wood, and arrange their designs on the top of tree stumps, or around the base of trees.  An important part of the process is photographing the artworks afterwards – Nikki and Rachel document the natural sculptures (these will be distributed to the proud artists at the next session!)  The only shame is that we won’t get to stick around long enough to see the reactions from the public, the inevitable dog walkers who will stumble upon this stunning exhibition gallery that the woods have temporarily become!

One of the carer participants has attended with her 98 year old mother.  Despite the fact that her mother is in a wheelchair and was less able to move around the site freely, she was able to work with her daughter, commenting and making decisions as they arranged their finds into an attractive design. Another participant chatted about his youth, growing up in North Wales. The landscape being such an integral part of his childhood, he has fond memories of getting up to mischief with his friends and playing from dusk till dawn on the hillside near his house. Another participant had become keen on photography since his diagnosis with dementia – what a great opportunity to take some wonderful photos with his camera which he had brought along to the session.

On the walk back to the Bracelands house, everyone noticed that ‘you couldn’t stop noticing!’ – after the activity, which had focused our minds on seeking out the small, beautiful natural objects all around us – you simply couldn’t help spotting things!

1:00pm Back to the house for sandwiches, hot drinks and three types of scrumptious cakes made by Alison, manager of Bracelands (undisputed baking queen of the Forest of Dean!)  Feedback about the session was gathered, participants also had the chance to view a list of potential future activities and tick those which interested them.   As the group sat and reflected on the mornings activity inside, the heavens opened outside – torrential rainfall which made everyone feel rather smug that we’d missed the downpour and managed to enjoy the best of the morning.

Feedback from the session was extremely positive – the group dispersed with promises of ‘See you at the next session!’ What a wonderful start to the mindSCAPE project. 

Participant Feedback:

We welcome all feedback, positive and negative.  All feedback is an important part of shaping a participant-led programme of activities.

“Very enjoyable!  Great to walk in the forest and to be inspired.  Thank you.”

“A very enjoyable day.  First time I have ever done such an event.  Thanks.”

“Great company and walk”

“Fantastic, friendly group.  Totally brilliant – Can’t wait to come again.”

“Enjoyable, thank you.  Nice lunch too!  The pace and content were just right and seemed to get everyone engaged”

“Great morning, lovely meeting everyone, staff so friendly.  Food fantastic.  Looking forward to the carrot cake!”

“Strange and new – could not take it in.  Too new.  Will enjoy it more next time.  Wheelchair”

“Very interesting session, thoroughly enjoyable.  It made us look at the forest rather than just walk through.  Also good company and enjoyable lunch!  Difficulty with the wheelchair, otherwise other access good.  Thank you”

“Lovely morning, staff very friendly, looking forward to coming again”

Artist Rachel Shilston: 'It was so nice to introduce adults to the work of Andy Goldsworthy and to see them appreciate this very simple, but effective way of working. It was great to get the group really engaging with their surroundings and taking the time to look at the smallest of details in their environment. A thoroughly enjoyable morning with a wonderful group of people, I'm looking forward to the next session.'

TO BE CONTINUED…