'Mandala' workshop to celebrate two-year programme connecting art and nature to be held in Tongue
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A workshop to celebrate the end of a two-year programme designed to better connect people with art and nature will take place in north-west Sutherland this weekend.
Art and Nature Connections (A&NC) – in collaboration with North Coast Connection – is inviting members of the public to book a place at their free event on Saturday to enjoy a 'relaxed, fun and inspirational' morning of exploration.
The Kyle Centre in Tongue – with its 'huge' windows encouraging the natural world – promises to provide plenty of inspiration as the venue for the event, as participants enjoy a 'mandala' workshop session, while reflecting on how and why people can benefit their wellbeing through their connections with art and nature.
A&NC, led by Nicola Kennell of Green Tree Arts, is one of 42 projects supported by the very first round of funding from The Ideas Fund, a grants programme run by the British Science Association and funded by Wellcome, the project then received a second round of funding to widen its reach.
The project is a collaboration that included a group of local carers from Moray, along with researcher Dr Ania Zubala from the University of Highlands and Islands.
In its second phase, the project broadened to also include other community members with an interest in either art/nature or wellbeing initially from Moray and laterally from across the Highlands, including Sutherland, Lochaber, Easter and Wester Ross.
During the lifetime of the project the group of co-researchers grew from six in September 2021 to sixteen at the project close in October 2023, with 24 co-researchers from Moray and the Highlands and Islands involved in the project at some point or another, including 2 co-researchers from the Sutherland area.
Nicola Kennell, project lead, art psychotherapist and founder of Green Tree Arts, said: “One of the unique aspects of this project is that the researchers also represented the community and over the last two years with the support of our researcher, our group has developed their co-researcher role and skills, through their participation.
"Throughout the project, we, as co-researchers, have engaged in reflection and shared our experiences to increase our understanding of how art and nature supports wellbeing. Our insights and thoughts were inspired by the group activities, each other and our individual encounters with art and nature.
"The event we are holding at the Kyle Centre is a celebratory event combined with an engaging mandala workshop where we will be sharing some of the highlights of the project over the last 2 years.
"A chance for our co-researchers to showcase their creative research activity/findings/ reflections with a new community, through art making, poetry, photographs, and audio, which all highlight our personal engagement with art and nature."
The event takes place on Saturday, November 11 from 10am to 1pm at the Kyle Centre, Tongue.
Places are limited and those wishing to attend are invited to contact Nicola on contact@greentreeartstudio.co.uk to book a space.
