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Kristina Veasey

Visual Artist

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Journal

kristinaveaseyartist

Multi-layered artist. Sculpture, installation, crafts, digital art/sound/film. Identity, routines, connection, provocation, commonalities & difference

How do you connect with and benefit from wild spac How do you connect with and benefit from wild spaces when you can not access them in person?

There are many reasons why a simple walk in the countryside might not be possible: inaccessible terrain, sickness, work schedules, mental health issues, caring responsibilities, lack of transport...

In this residency with South Downs National Park @southdownsnp I have been engaging local people with different ways to build a forest connection, even when they are unable to visit in person.

We have been immersing ourselves in the natural world through remote forest bathing, exploring synaesthesia, examining our connection to nature through art, and expressing our sensory responses to forest stimuli through movement. Together we made brushes from forest materials and used paints made from clay, charcoal, chalk, ivy and apple trees. We polished balls of clay until they shone like jewels, and we shared our processing and insights with one another.

I feel very privileged to share this space and to hear from other people's perspectives. What is shared can sometimes be precious or deeply personal, or an activity might take them outside of their comfort zone. I can prep as much as I like for a workshop, shaping it and giving it body, but ultimately it's the participants who give it heart. I feel immensly grateful for everyone's input and generosity of spirit. A massive thankyou to all who came. 

All of our shared learning and exploration is feeding in to additional co-creation sessions with individuals and small groups. In these we are developing the Forest Connection Kits we've been trialling with care home residents living with dementia, chronically ill people, disabled people, people who are housebound, and people experiencing end of life care. 

All the workshop artworks will be exhibited alongside elements of my Capturing the Forest installation, at the Seven Sisters Centre in October. A separate post about that is coming soon!

#forest #art #health #capturingtheforest #southdownsnationalpark

Reel shows a creative workshop in progress with people gathered in a room exploring forest materials and painting
I'm not suggesting you need to take your bed to th I'm not suggesting you need to take your bed to the forest in order to relax and improve your health, but that's exactly what we did!

When I was in the midst of my first forest project I had an accident that left me bed-bound for several months, then housebound for a further 3. During this time I wished the bed could lift me up and fly me to the heart of the forest, like in Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

My desire to go to the forest went beyond my project plans, and stemmed from a very real health need. At a time when my body needed healing, the benefits from forest immersion were out of reach. Raising serotonin levels, increasing the number of Natural Killer Cells and a lowering cortisol levels are just some of the benefits from inhaling terpenes released from trees. Scientists report that these benefits can last for up to a month after a forest visit.

Rest can be such an essential part of health maintenance and recovery. Resting in the right places is even better (even without a bed).

#forestbathing #southdownsnationalpark #capturingtheforest #wellbeing #health

Reel shows 3 women taking turns to lay on a bed in a forest glade.
Three spaces have become available for Saturday's Three spaces have become available for Saturday's creative/forest/sensory workshop. Let me know if you're interested.

It is a free workshop with lovely people in a lovely converted barn on the edge of the forest. What's not to love? 

No artistic ability required, but will be equally interesting for artists as well.
More info in the link on my linktree in my bioπŸŒ³πŸπŸ„πŸͺΎπŸͺΊπŸ‚πŸπŸ¦‹πŸͺ²πŸ¦ŠπŸ¦”πŸ¦‡πŸ¦‘
πŸ‚ πŸͺΎ Born from the forest floor. πŸ‚πŸͺΎ The 'Wild & N πŸ‚ πŸͺΎ Born from the forest floor. πŸ‚πŸͺΎ 

The 'Wild & Naked Earth Vessel' is officially live in my Etsy shop, Off Kilter Works (see my linktree in bio) 

Let me introduce you to the raw, unrefined beauty of the 'Wild & Naked Earth Vessel.' Created after a fresh October visit to Friston Forest and hearing the crunch of dry autumnal leaves beneath me on the trail. 

Encrusted with authentic wild clay dug directly from a local forest, I have left it entirely unglazed on the exterior to show off its iron-rich, natural terracotta color.  Underglazes, oxides, and slips add earthy, rough textures that emulate the leaf-strewn forest floor. 

"Harnessing my synaesthesia I translate deep sensory responses into physical materials. My practice is an active conversation with nature that manifests in unique hand-built pieces that serve as small portals into the natural world." 

Ethical practice:
The wild clay used in this piece was gathered responsibly, and with explicit landowner permission, from an East Sussex woodland. 

Display:
The crumbling textures of this rugged art piece  forms a striking indoor artwork or garden focal point. Whilst beautiful unadorned, it's small aperture allows presentation of delicate flora, unusual branches or dried seed pods. 
β€’ Price: Β£150 (Includes Free Tracked Shipping)
β€’ Dimensions: Approx. Height 13cm Diameter 15cm

About the artist:
"Kristina is an international artist and former Paralympian who brings the intense focus and discipline of the world stage into her artistic practice. As a neurodivergent wheelchair user, she views life through a unique lens and much of her work is drawn from her lived experience navigating barriers and finding moments of connection, commonality and difference. She is interested in sense of place, sensory experience and everyday routines. Her work is detailed, nuanced and multi-layered. She is a prolific multi media artist driven by an imperative to create. Her work spans sculpture, installation, video, sound and crafts. Notably, her sculpture, 'Meander' is a prominent public installation on the renowned Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail. "

#WabiSabiDesign #forest #TexturedCeramics #WildClay #CeramicVase
Just reviewing footage from our Capturing the Fore Just reviewing footage from our Capturing the Forest workshop where we embodied and interpreted elements of the forest; wind, water, trees and wildlife. Was going to share some of it on here, but setting it to music gave it a whole new vibe and seems to have revealed a hidden rave!

#forest #movement #southdownsnationalpark #unexpectedtwist #artist

Reel shows workshop participants making physical movements akin to dancing.
Making Lake Pigments for natural paints, for use i Making Lake Pigments for natural paints, for use in a forest workshop as part of my Capturing the Forest residency with @southdownsnp

I love it when science and art come together!

#lakepigment #naturalpaints #forestart #artistworkshops #southdownsnationalpark

Reel shows the process of making paints from apple bark and leaves, ending with paints being used in a creative workshop.
Coming soon to my Etsy shop Off-Kilter Works (link Coming soon to my Etsy shop Off-Kilter Works (linktree in bio). Lots of gorgeous textures and forms inspired by forest.

#ceramicvase #ceramiccollection #artbuyers #forestlovers #wildclay

Reel shows textured crumbly ceramic vase from different angles
Forest immersion has very real scientific benefits Forest immersion has very real scientific benefits for our health. Breathing in terpenes, emitted by trees, helps to raise serotonin levels and the number NK cells in our system. In some countries, like Japan, doctors prescribe forest walks alongside medication, and city planners design wooded parks that encourage visitors to be amongst the trees for optimum lengths of time, breathing in those terpenes.

#forest #forestbathing #shinrinyoku #health #wellbeing

Image shows woman with blue hair laying on a bed in a forest glade.
Have you ever wondered what a forest smells like a Have you ever wondered what a forest smells like after the rain, or how the texture of local clay changes as you hold it?

Join local visual artist Kristina Veasey for a unique, relaxed, and fully inclusive indoor workshop right on the edge of Friston Forest and the Cuckmere river. As an artist who experiences the world through synaesthesia and sensory explosions, Kristina will guide you to connect with the beautiful South Downs landscape using all of your senses.

Who is this for?

Absolutely everyone. You do not need to be "good at art" to attend. This workshop is open to anyone who loves nature and wants to try something new. Whether you are an experienced creative or feel completely daunted by a paintbrush, you will find a warm, supportive, and accessible space here.

Message me to book or ask questions :)

#forest #art #synaesthesia #dorodango #inclusive
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Interested in holding a workshop?

Find out more about Walk the Line and other workshops Kristina has facilitated here.
Beyond the Torch Run workshop by Kristina Veasey

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Contact Kristina

Email Kristina here.

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