The Project
Funded by Arts Well, this was a creative collaboration between Tough Dough, Drym Valley Centre and Trenow Fields, bringing together participants for a four-week programme of outdoor learning, creativity, and community building.
Through guided walks at Trenow Fields, participants explored and learned about the herbs grown on the farm.
Drawing and collecting plants
By creating impressions of herbs in clay we developed hands-on connections with nature. These tiles were then treated with oxides and fired in a pit using natural materials such as seaweed and sawdust at Drym Valley Centre.
The resulting ceramic works were assembled into a tiled coat rack, now installed at Trenow Fields as a lasting legacy of the partnership. The project highlighted the value of continuity in community arts, building trust, and strengthening relationships. It also provided opportunities for creative outdoor engagement, professional development for staff, and cross-organisational collaboration.
Sensory experiences
Participants benefited from smelling, touching, and creating with herbs and clay—while reflecting on the wellbeing that comes from working in nature. The final artworks represent both pride and achievement, collaboration, and the shared joy of making something meaningful together.
