… and take part at home!

Get hands-on and crafty with sustainable British wool and learn about endangered species in Somerset. The Spinning a Yarn – Take Part Resources have been created by artists Lydia Needle and Nina Gronw-Lewis, there are 4 worksheets accompanied by 4 ‘how to films’, plus Nature and Materials Resources – click here.

“I am thrilled to be involved with this project, highlighting species loss in an accessible way, and by encouraging communities to tell stories through wool.” Nina Gronw-Lewis

More about the artists…

Lydia Needle https://www.lydianeedle.com/

“I am an art eco-activist, a maker of gentle protest works and with my work, I contemplate our impact on the earth, what we denude or enhance, whether that be in terms of our planet or our communities. To that end, I use waste, ecologically sound or vintage materials including textile fibres, yarns, and fabric to create dialogue about our environmental impact and the human cost of consumption.

​I have an overwhelming awe of nature, the wonder of our wildlife, the environment in which we are privileged to live in, its vulnerability. I love using British wool because I am very proud to be British (despite recent turmoil) and I believe that British wool is the BEST in the world in its variety and its versatility. And if, perchance, these art pieces ever end up unwanted, they will rot down to nothing, in fact it could be used as a mulch in the garden – that’s how wonderful wool is!

I believe that we should to continue to learn and create throughout our lives, we’re on a never ending journey people, I believe that if we continue to seek out opportunities for learning for sharing, for experimenting and for finding ways that we can support each other AND the environment, we live richer lives.“

Nina Gronw-Lewis www.NinaGronw-Lewis.co.uk

Nina was born in Somerset and her work focuses on the process of making, embracing materiality and surface, working with colour, the history of craft and the language of textiles. Her Wool drawings are made using a rug tufting gun, a powered hand tool, a technique closer to an industrial process, or a handheld punch needle, a rough sketch is drawn then coloured wool is pushed through the stretched canvas, in an act where Nina becomes the painter and the weaver. A sustainability check on her practice led her to a commitment to use only discarded or unwanted wool and yarn.

Nina is always creating and she is currently working on a very intriguing piece of work inspired by Spinning a Yarn. See the pictures below and watch this space to see what develops!

Alongside her professional art practice Nina is a curator for ACEarts, a gallery and education charity in Somerton, Somerset and is proud to be a member of RWA (Royal West of England) AN, seam Collective and The Royal Society of Sculptors.

Spinning a Yarn – Telling the Story of Wool in Somerset
This Somerset Art Works project focuses on Wool, with an exhibition, large scale installation and film, opening in September 2024 at the Somerset Rural Life Museum Glastonbury, with project partners South West Heritage Trust. A programme of events for community outreach, school workshops and talks will also take place.