Teimlo is a response to Touched by Claire Curneen. These quilts reflect our experience of illustrating on location in the Forest of Dean. Our drawings served as a guide, informing the marks and shapes that make up the quilts design. A central motif in both Curneen’s work and our own is the clootie tree—a tree, often found near a sacred well or a sacred space, where people tie strings, ribbons, or rags as an act of wishing or seeking healing. Teimlo embodies the spirit of pure collaboration, with each quilt created jointly by both artists. This cooperative process mirrors the interconnected, community-driven nature of trees within a forest. The quilts function as portable, interactive clootie trees, inviting people to participate by tying fabric, adding ribbons, or stitching their own wishes into the piece. As quilts, these artefacts can naturally evolve and grow through public interaction. This continuous transformation reflects the themes of reclamation present in Curneen’s practice, as well as the hidden, intricate networks of woodland ecosystems.
Task: Tyfu Llun/ Growing a drawing
This task comes in two parts, alongside a podcast where Efa and I take a walk through the woods, sketching as we go and sharing our experiences. Drawing on location (which is just a fancy way of saying “not at a desk”) is an immersive experience. The drawings themselves might not turn out “good” in the traditional sense, but that’s the beauty of it! This is about play, freedom, and truly connecting with your surroundings. As you draw, take a moment to tune into nature:
● Can you hear the gentle trickle of a stream?
● Are birds singing? Which ones?
● Is there an old, twisted tree with gnarled knots? Have you ever run your fingers over its bark?
● What do your surroundings smell like?
Materials? Whatever You Have!
We’re inviting you to have a conversation with nature through drawing. If you can, step outside; if not, sit by a window and observe. Instead of using words, try capturing what you see, hear, feel, and smell through marks on the page. Forget about making a perfect drawing—this is about experiencing, observing, and expressing. Materials? Whatever You Have! You don’t need fancy supplies. A simple notebook and a biro, the back of an envelope and a crayon—whatever’s at hand! In fact, the simpler your tools, the more you can focus on the moment. Feeling adventurous? Try making rubbings by pressing a crayon or pencil against textured surfaces like bark or stone.
What to Draw?
Find something that catches your eye—a soft patch of moss, a knobbly old log, a tiny flower, or even a really satisfying rock. Try this:
● Look at your object for 20 seconds.
● Then draw for 20 seconds without looking at it again.
● Repeat!
Want an extra challenge?
Try drawing without looking at the paper at all. Let your hand wander and just feel the shapes. You might be surprised by the results! Efa and Karina are both professional illustrators, but love drawing this way because it keeps things fresh, exciting, and fun. It’s a great reminder that drawing is more about the journey than the final piece. A Thank You to Nature At the end of your drawing session, if you can, offer nature a small gift for its time. Gently tie a ribbon or a small rag to a branch, wrap one around a stone, or place it near a flower (being mindful of living plants, as they, too, can feel).
