Winter foraging walk and talk in Carnforth as part of art project

Throughout 2022, artist Sam Pickett, along with a series of guest artists and botanists, will lead a series of foraging ‘walk and talks’ in and around the Carnforth area.

Each invited guest has been chosen for their unique relationship with the landscape and specialisms include food foraging, herbalism, folklore, weaving, filmmaking, botany, climate change science, natural dye making and more.

Each designated route has been chosen to correspond with the seasons, beginning in January with a winter woodland forage.

The ‘walks and talks’ will identify wild plants and discuss their uses, talk about art, the environment and our changing climate while sensitively gathering plant material to make into a series of natural dyes.

The dye-making will take place in the Saturation Point studio in Over Kellet and be used later to produce a colour-coded textile artwork reflecting climate changes in our area.

The weather data for the chart will be supplied by Dr Martin Lord who has been keeping meteorological records in Over Kellet for 20 years.

There will be open studio events and workshops throughout the year where visitors can learn about the processes involved in extracting colour from plants.

Winter foraging ‘walk and talk’ is with guest artist Abigail Barton on January 27, running 12.45–3.15 pm meeting at The Canal Turn, Carnforth.

The route will include some cross-country and gradual uphill walking. Suitable footwear/waterproofs recommended.

Foraging bags, notebooks and pencils are provided. All welcome.

Sam Pickett is a visual artist exploring wild spaces, colour alchemy and the fugitive nature of matter. Engaging with folklore, anthropology, ritual, and science she is concerned with the Anthropocene and the current duality between culture and nature, challenging cultural myths and addressing the climate crisis through sustainable art practice.

Documentation of the project and the textile outcome will be shown at Carnforth Civic Hall in 2023.