Bending Sticks - Patrick Dogherty

Oooo I am a PROUD owner of the Bending Sticks DVD!

See the trailer HERE

Fairy Rings in Kew

Oh Yum!
Finally managed to get up to Kew and see Tom Hare's work:



See some more pickies here: LINK

England's Weeping Willows

Almost all willows take root very readily from cuttings or where broken branches lie on the ground. One famous example of such growth from cuttings involves the poet Alexander Pope, who begged a twig from a parcel tied with twigs sent from Spain to Lady Suffolk. This twig was planted and thrived, and legend has it that all of England's weeping willows are descended from this first one.

Willow in Art

Symbolism in Art
The weeping willow (Salix babylonica) was very popular in the funerary art of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was used most often to symbolize immortality and rebirth, likely because of its swift-growing habit. A cut willow tree can re-grow quickly as long its roots are unharmed, sometimes several feet in a single season. A cutting from the willow can grow into its own tree, even if it's planted upside down in the soil.

ITV news coverage of the Coronation Arches

The Coronation arches project that I was involved in was on TV! Check it out:

Coronation Arches

Oh what a lovely project to have been invited to be involved in. Meeting the likes of the inspiring Spencer Jenkins, Mel Bastier & Michelle Cain and lots of great volunteers. Maggie heaven!

Plastic Rainbows

Six Plastic rainbows:

Beast Wings - Wye

Helped 50 plus children & families make beast wings as part of the Conservation Volunteers Wild Wye Beast Day at Wye Nature Reserve 

Medway Mile Medals

Helped young runners made their very own medals prior to their races:

Willow Sculptures made by Maggie & 200 children!

Large Willow sculpture made in two days with 200 young enthusiastic ladies. Loosely inspired by Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth & Andy Goldsworthy:

Food Sculpture - Wye Food Festival

Food Sculpture fun with local families as part of the Wye Food Festival June 2013, generously funded by the Wye Childrens' Playing Field Charity and Wye Parish Council. A BIG thank you to The New Flying Horse for lending us such a beautiful venue!

Maggie's 2012

Its been another interesting year! Polystyrene cows, willow storytelling huts,murals, paper gardens, foraging courses to name but a few......roll on 2013!

Beanstalk Project -Gravesend

Two weeks, about 180 primary school children, 4 artists, 1 volunteer, over 250 metres of 'old' olympic flags, a lot of sewing, heaps of cotton, 6ft of polystyrene and a few lamposts! Go meet Daisy at Gravesham Borough Council offices / Woodville Halls theatre, now till 11th January (ish)

Willow Storytelling hut - Maidstone

Ooooo its exciting!...... Building a Willow storytelling space in a woodland in Maidstone with the help of the 'Craft and Chat' group and the local school with specially selected skilled children! Here's the visual story so far.......

Meadows Children's Centre, Maidstone - Mural with Young Parents May 2012

Helped this enthusiastic group paint a mural based on their logo.

Wild Wye Family Foraging Course - 17th June 2012

Discover food for free!
On a short beginners foraging walk in the beautiful countryside of Wye, Kent
Taste handmade locally produced wild food goodies afterwards.

For further details and register click on this:  LINK

Find out more about the Wye Food festival (16th - 24th June) at www.wyefood.com/wyefoodfestival.html

The Paper Garden - Animate Arts

Helped make an awesome, life size paper and card garden with Animate Arts Company Ltd, 12 Kent schools, 2 other artists and some amazing volunteers!

Which can be seen at Stour Valley Arts Exhibition 5th May - 9th June:
Stour Valley Arts : Elwick Road, Ashford, KENT
                                                                                                         TN23 1NR

Salue: Garden of England has been inspired by London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Salue (meaning welcome) is a garden complete with flower and vegetable beds, a pond, greenhouse and lawn made entirely from paper and card by 260 children from 12 schools across Kent. 

The Sitting Room

I wove a lot of cushions out of newspapers for our paper and card Sitting Room. It was toured around Kent and received great feedback!

Here is the final result:

Wye Lanterns 2011

Great to meet and help people make some lovely lantern creations for Wye lantern procession 2011, part of the Wye Bonfire night celebrations. Lovely to meet up with some old faces and what a night! Yes it was cold, it was windy, it drizzled but the lanterns looked spectacular! (and most survived the weather conditions). They looked soooo magical as we wound our way up to the crown. Take a look at the workshops and some final creations:


If you have any photos you'd like to share of the event, workshops or your lantern then do e-mail me.

Face Painting - Snodland