This group exhibition is comprised of works that explore themes of our human presence in nature. Included works make a visually refined figurative or abstract reference to people, nature and objects by way of pared down forms and simple repeat marks and patterns, using natural materials and hand wrought surface textures.  

Sonia Barton’s interest in aged, worn and worked surfaces, both in handmade objects and the coastal environment, are explored in her still life paintings through a muted palette and the juxtaposition of simple forms and shapes. The objects in her works are often 'moved’ around the canvas, leaving traces of their previous position in the form of textured shapes, etched lines and patterns, giving a feeling of time passing, an ebb and flow. Sonia gained a BA Hons in Fine Art at Staffordshire University, followed by a Post-Graduate Diploma in Fine Art Printmaking at Brighton University, gaining the highest grade of Honours.

Susanna Bauer embellishes found leaves using handmade lace crochet, a technique which puts human physicality and creativity in direct relationship to the fragility of organic structures. The resulting forms are a meditation on the beauty and intricacy of the natural world, and the complex and tender relationship we hold with our environment.Susanna was born and raised in rural Germany, where she developed a passion for nature and the land. She studied Landscape Architecture at the Technische Universität in Munich and worked at the Jardin des Plantes botanical gardens in Montpellier, France before specialising in miniature work. She has exhibited in the UK, USA, Sweden, Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan and India.  

Shannon Clegg is a designer-maker whose work embraces the principles of biophilic design –of creating works in order to connect us in a deeper way with nature for the purposes of our own well-being, and to encourage a better human-nature relationship. Through the reimagining of traditional craft skills her practice investigates the narrative potential of making. Shannon grew up amid the floral landscape of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, where she originally trained as a tailor. On realising she had ethical objections to the fashion production industry, she pursued new contexts for making, going on to study BA Contemporary Crafts at Falmouth University, and gaining an MA in Product and Furniture Design at Kingston University in London. Her work has been exhibited in Venice, Milan, Belgium and London.  

Andrew Dominic makes exquisite, handcrafted furniture that embraces the beauty and potential of wood. Using age old methods and crafting skills, he works only with raw materials that meet his carbon neutral environmental and sustainable credentials. With an engineering background and love of the sea, Andrew found his passion for wood while working on classic yachts in the Mediterranean. He learned the art of furniture making at Rowden Atelier and now, with his wife and fellow maker Susie, has workshops in Cape Town, South Africa and Devon, where Andrew grew up and they now live with their family.

Sue Kirk makes sculptural willow vessels by way of traditional hand weaving techniques. Her works are inspired by natural forms such as rocks and boulders, and explore the ways in which natural materials inform visual language. Inspired by the sustainability of willow craft and the benefits which the plant brings to our environment, Sue grows several varieties of her own basket willows on plots located in King’s Cliffe just a mile away from her workshop. She creates bespoke traditional and contemporary baskets and site-specific works for both private clients and public exhibition. 

Devon based makers Takahashi McGil create sculptural, functional objects from a mix of local or sustainable hardwoods. Planing, chiselling, turning, waxing and lacquering with great precision using time-honoured Japanese and Western techniques, they create considered pieces that celebrate the natural beauty of their materials. South African born Mark McGilvray and Kaori Takahashi from Japan both graduated in Fine Art at the Wimbledon School of Art. At their rural studio they create beautiful vases, bowls and plates and other pieces for the table, with furniture made only by commission.  

Fi Wallace Velarde is a painter and printmaker and is strongly drawn to both mediums. The subject matter that informs her work is inspired by land and sea, by their constantly changing colours, shapes and textures. It is a challenge working in two complementary disciplines which demand a different creative approach.  Fi paints with acrylic on canvas and board, using texture and colour, sometimes incorporating collage to slowly build up layers within the work. This gives the paintings a history and depth. Fi finds this creative process absorbing, escapist and immersive. When printing, it needs a lot more planning, and the outcome can be unexpected and unpredictable, which holds a certain intrigue within this medium.  

Paul Wearing is an award-winning ceramicist based at the Fireworks Clay Studios cooperative in Cardiff. His ceramic vessels are inspired by our interconnectedness with nature’s seasons, and explore the correlation between the cycles of nature, the making processes, and the innate qualities of natural materials. Paul works with both grogged stoneware clay and porcelain, typically using coiling, press moulding and slab building techniques. His surfaces are detailed with deliberately volatile layers of slips and glazes which react to an oxidised firing processes, resulting in a beautiful array of surface disruptions. Paul is a Selected Member of the Craft Potters Association of Great Britain and was elected to their Governing Council in 2018.