It has been the most unbelievable privilege to be 2025 Artist in Residence at National Trust Avebury. Season by season I have explored the landscape close to Avebury. I recorded on ceramic pots my spontaneous response to each walk. The year culminated in “Walking the Landscape”, an exhibition of the narrative pots staged in the threshing barn.
Walking the Landscape
The winter of 2024/25 was wet, the lower-lying land south of the stone circle was flowing with water from the Kennet and the many springs. During those early months of the year I explored from Avebury down alongside the river towards the ditch-encircled Silbury Hill.
Past Silbury Hill, surrounded by a wide winter ditch of water, and over the A4 the predominance of water continued. Up the hill to West Kennet long barrow the chatter of starlings was gradually replaced by the call of the skylarks.
As winter swelled into spring the chalk tracks rumbled with farm vehicles and my Merlin birdsong app. went crazy. The landscape yellowed with rape fields, gorse flowers, dandelions and Brimstone butterflies.
Here I am up on the Ridgeway above Avebury.
Summer found me snaking down West Kennet Avenue, turning right up the side of Waden Hill and as I reached the summit I was met by this view of Silbury Hill. The visual impact explained the many photos taken of this view.
Clinging onto the last leaves of autumn, these beech trees in a landmark triple clump grow on tumuli high above Avebury.
Windmill Hill, topped by barrows, was a gathering place 5,000 years ago.
Alexander Keiller, who owned Avebury, initiated an archaeological dig on the hill in 1925, 100 years ago.
To mark this centenary I created some smoke-fired pots drawing closely on the designs of cooking pots excavated at Windmill Hill which are now exhibited in the museum at Avebury.
The Threshing Barn proved the most amazing setting for the ceramic pots I had created during my residency. My intention was fulfilled when visitors familiar with the Avebury landscape said the pots reconnected them with the places they knew.
I am happy to say that the exhibition sold well. Just three pots are still available on my SHOP page. If you are interested in making a purchase and would like to know more, do get in touch with me via the Contact Form on this website.