Connecting with Place, People and Land through Walking and Art
15th May 2009 9.30- 6.00pm Start and Finish at The Exchange, Brick Row, Stroud
Purpose
To explore researching and experiencing how we connect with nature and the landscape-with people
place and work
Aims
To gain an understanding of the role of nature and landscape in our culture.
To experience how nature and landscape affect us in every day life.
To meld the boundaries between urban rural, grey and green
To explore different ways of walking and seeing the land and engage with place
To be inspired by nature and landscape and respond through drawing, photography and words
Benefits
Participants may use this workshop in different ways, such as:
 considering how they can develop a walking culture in their own community
 ways in which their work and lives can become more connected with nature and the landscape
 consider how art can be used to encourage creative engagement
 consider the health, educational, spiritual and creative benefits of walking the land
 arrive, and create a context for the Communiversity
How?
Walking around the Slad Valley, starting at The Exchange-visiting the Summer Street Allotments,
Swifts Hill, Rosie’s Orchard, Valley Organics CSA at Stroud Slad Farm, the Woolpack at Slad, Bulls
Cross and Folly Lane-taking a sketch pad and camera and stopping from time to time-guided by artists
from Walking the Land. The walk is hilly in places. We will be out walking for about six hours with
regular stops to draw and take photographs with a longer lunch stop and again for tea.
Outcomes
 health benefits
 understanding landscape as a context for people and work
 artwork produced
 web-presence
Programme
9.30
Arrivals, registration and coffee
10.00
Introduction to the day, brief background to WtL and Place People and Work
10.30
Walk, to include drawing, photography, lunch and tea
5.00
Return: Tea at The Exchange and Action Learning Groups
6.30 for 7.00
Supper
What to bring: suitable clothing, wet-weather gear in case of showers, walking shoes/tough
trainers/boots, packed lunch (unless lunch is part of your three day package and included in your
payment), water , camera, sketch pad, note book, pens, pencils etc.
Invitees as well as Communiversity participants:
Health workers; Walking to Health Network, Gloucestershire PCT. Artists, Photographers, Writers,
National Trust. AONB service. Countryside Management Services. LEA.
Guides
Richard Keating and Kel Portman of Walking the Land, Martin Large
Walking the Land - Landscape, walks and journeys are Walking the Land’s source of inspiration and
the subject for their artworks and installations. They facilitate landscape events and exhibitions,
organiser creative workshops, art courses and walks. Www.walkingtheland.org.uk
Detailed Timing
timing
place/activity
10.00
Introduction, purpose. Aims, What we want from the day; overview:
Martin – People, Place and Work – connecting with the cultural landscape
Richard/Kel – Walking the Land & how we will approach the day
10.30
Leave The Exchange
11.00
Arrive at Summer Street Allotments: 5 min. max. introduction to allotment co-op;
draw/photograph/write. Quick Feedback .
11.30
Walk along Summer Street/Woodside noticing change in relationship with nature from
urban to rural. Write brief response.
12.00
Enter woods – draw/photograph/write at old machinery. Thinking about “productive”
relationship with nature. Quick Feedback in groups.
12.30
Walk to Swifts Hill, stopping every ten minutes to draw/photograph/write – one minute
aesthetic observations.
1.05
Arrive Swifts Hill. 10 minute study. Threshold, Settlement in wider landscape. Martin to
read “Forest and vale and high blue hill”; Fran Mansell poem
Lunch. Feedback on mornings work.
2.00
Walk to Rosie's Orchard – stop at spring, draw/ photograph/Write about productive
landscape in the past. Martin to read from “Cider with Rosie”
2.30
Walk to Slad, stopping at Laurie Lee's Grave Stone. Notice difference between urban
and rural settlements in terms of relationship with nature.
3.00
Arrive Woolpack for drink and to draw/photograph/write , thinking about Slad as it is
today, the services it provides.
3.30
Leave Woolpack, walk to Folly Lane
3.50
Stop at top (to recover breath) and draw/photograph/write, thinking about new ways of
living with nature
4.10
Walk back via Springfields Cohousing and Park. Reflect on learning and impressions.
5.00
Arrive exchange
5.00 to
6.00
Share work and impressions over tea in groups.
Scan in drawings for website and wall exhibition
Contact: martinlarge5@gmail.com 07765 006829; Booking: Odilia Jarman 01453 766598