Everyone is an Artist says Dr Penny Hay I am an artist, educator and researcher and on a daily basis aim to make creativity visible in experimental sites for learning in our House of Imagination. During lockdown we have been working with the Forest of Imagination and The Big Draw teams to co-design VirtualForest 2020. Being actively creative has become a lifeline – together we have...
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As the summer holidays unfold, we have asked the artists we work with and other independent collaborators to share their ideas for creative activities. Please see the list below and get involved. We would love to see your work and ideas as well. Do share your work with us on our social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook. Creative Writing Ideas Events of Wonder...
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“Our imagination is the unique human capacity to bring into our minds things that aren’t present. We daydream; imagination is everywhere; it invites potential and possibility. Children’s imaginations are powerful, they inhabit their imagination; exploring their ideas, feelings, senses, the light and the dark, always learning. Imagination has the power to release us from boundaries encountered in the adult world.” Co-Founder of Forest of Imagination...
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For the Earth And all that is holding us From the wilds of Dartmoor And the heart of Zimbabwe Our truth calls to us Simple and clear That we are this Earth That we are each other And our gratitude is a balm That can heal A film by Denise Rowe With Denise Rowe & Kennedy Chinyere Camera by Pete McCowen Supported by Forest of...
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Avon Wildlife Trust and Forest of Imagination to submit a joint proposal for a Nature and Art Discovery Centre at the Entry Hill golf course in Bath In collaboration with Forest of Imagination, Avon Wildlife Trust will submit a business proposal to BANES Council to reimagine the 10-hectare (ha) Entry Hill golf course into an intergenerational sustainable, wildlife-rich, inspiring and playful nature park, enriched...
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Illustrator Perry Harris has supported Forest of Imagination for many years, supporting the event with brilliant images, illustrations, cartoons and drawings depicting his vision of how Forest is represented in the city of Bath. Perry is a prolific artist who is not only constantly sketching, but he also works with watercolours, landscapes and video, his work can be found on his Pinterest page. This year...
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Textile artist, Alison Harper works with the theme of reimagining materials, her work often focuses on recycling, reusing and reimagining. This year, for the #VirtualForest2020, Alison has taken the theme of #enchanted to inform her work; finding the beauty and unexpected in everyday things, waste materials and in little corners of the world we often do not notice. She explains more here: “Enchanted is a digital project...
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Artist and chef, Helen Lawrence works and owns Bath institution Demuths, a vegan cookery school, this will inform her art work. Helen has plans to create an edible Forest, using medicinal herbs, seasonal and plant-based food, found and foraged in the forests and fields around Bath. Helen is also planning to collaborate with Castle Farm, to forage for edibles to inspire her creative cooking. Helen shares her work...
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Week Four at Virtual Forest 2020 has seen designer and sculptor Matthew Leece take over the Forest social media platforms. Matt has worked with Forest of Imagination since day one and he always brings his unique, startling and imaginative creative concepts into the Forest. Past workshops have included, the giant drawing machines, how bees see and this year, virtual vines. Virtual Vines, invites you to contribute...
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Week Three of Virtual Forest of Imagination 2020 and we showcase the working installation of artist Clare Day. Clare, who works in clay and print, and also on socially engaged projects, has worked with the Forest of Imagination since it began seven years ago, her Clay Forest has been an inspiration to thousands of members of the public who have visited Forest of Imagination over the...
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Jo Backhouse is a writer, artist and workshop-practitioner and has run workshops with Key Stage 3 students in Somerset for several years. She explains: “My aim is always to put the joy (often lost in the transition from primary to secondary education) back into writing. I start, almost always, with a blank page. From there we can see words as friendly tools, something to gather, sort out,...
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British artist, Jessica Palmer, launched the Virtual Forest of Imagination 2o20 with her beautiful paper artwork, Woodland Understory series, a discipline which involves collage, paper sculpture, paper cutting, digital drawing and painting. Jessica has been part of Forest since the beginning and this year has been inspired by the community farm, Bath City Farm, and her own forays into nature during the Covid 19 crisis. As part...
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Forest of Imagination and The Big Green Draw Join Forces Forest of Imagination and The Big Green Draw join forces during the pandemic to shine a light on the importance of nature and creativity in our wellbeing. Harnessing the power of their collective message, and to promote the importance of creativity and collaboration; Forest of Imagination will work alongside The Big Green Draw, supporting a...
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Having access to even the smallest of green space has become a symbol of hope for most during lockdown, when lives have suddenly been reduced to our immediate environment. As the leaves have unfurled and the swallows have returned, Spring has become, for the many who enjoy the advantage of being able to see, touch, smell and connect with nature, a major part of our...
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Thousands of Bath residents and visitors enjoyed a magical weekend of creativity when pop-up contemporary arts event Forest of Imagination was hosted at The Holburne Museum. The award-winning arts event returned to the city on 20-24 June 2019 with a multi-sensory array of outdoor and participatory art installations, workshops and sculptures in the museum grounds and Sydney Gardens. Running for its sixth consecutive year, 2019’s...
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The architect Piers Taylor from the agency Invisible Studio will work with Carpenter Oak and Momentum Engineering to create a tall landmark structure from forest thinnings to define the axis of the Life Line. The structure will act as a portal between the Holburne Museum and Sydney Gardens or locating it with Sydney Gardens. The structure will be approximately 10m high and will include an inner...
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This year the House of Fairy Tales invites Forest visitors to help them to study and incubate the gigantic and mysterious egg of the Ogulon, feeding it with our hopes for the future and our love of the natural world. Visitors will discover the story through a short self-led trail and then take part in workshops inside our marvellous laboratory and in beautiful tented structures...
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Forest of Imagination works across the city with primary and secondary schools inviting them to take part in the Forest. Two school days, running this year on Friday 21st June and Monday 24th June, will see schools participating in the Forest for free. The two schools days will include a wide range of workshops run by artists, architects, musicians, teachers, volunteers – these workshops will allow the students to...
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