Into the Leaves Exhibition  was a culmination of a year long participatory arts project where I brought The Natural Dye Project Cork to the community of Bishopstown at Murphy's Farm park, in collaboration with Green Spaces for Health, Bishopstown Tidy Towns, and New Moon Dance Company, funded by the Arts in Context Award, Cork City Council (2022).  

During the year, I held weekly gardening session and ran many eco art workshops and events. Images above show the dye garden and participants at The Natural Dye Project Cork at Murphy's Farm, Bishopstown, 2022. 
At the end of the year I organised the culmination of the project -the Into the Leaves exhibition, which included my solo work, participant work,  performative collaborations, and solo work by the invited guest artist Cáit Ní Dhuinnín who responded to the natural context of the project. Installed were swathes of naturally dyed fabric - 'rivers' of colour which harmed no river in the making, willow sculpture, Bog Linens, and the installation The Colours We Grow of natural dye jars, plants and dye samples, photographs of pollinators and participant words about the project. 

The willow sculpture was made as a container to hold the visual documentation of the many workshops, events and experiences I organised and facilitated during the project. 
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​During the project, I collaborated with The New Moon Dance Company. I held a workshop at Murphy's Farm park where they naturally dyed their costumes by dipping their dresses in the river, dyeing them with onion skins, and eco printing them with foraged alder leaves at the site.
You can see images of this process above, and some of the other community engagement events. 

​They then produced and performed a choreography to a piece of music I had written and recorded called To Be Human, sung and played on the harp about why the wild and natural world is important. 

The dance company performed this piece for several events, including during the Into the Leaves exhibition, a city street festival. and at Cork City Hall. 

Watch part of their stunning performance following the Link: https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cd1OycCg8W0/?igsh=ZDF4MGh3YW9nOWJ0

Bog Linens, eco prints on linen, 2024. During a participant engagement of deep listening at dusk led by artist Cáit Ní Dhuinnín, we buried 3 pieces of linen in the boggy wild area of the site in the dark with votive rusty objects and leaves. Unearthed 2 weeks later they had been dyed by the minerals and moisture in the earth and our offerings, recording the residue of the land and site we had spent so much time with. 
The Colours We Grow installation showcasing photos of pollinators on dye plants grown by the community during the project, dye samples on wool and silk, and participant words about the project. Detail below. 
Lastly, showcased was a garment I had eco printed and naturally dyed, with organic Indigo, Walnut and Redbud leaves.