making

Making

Contemporary Art Practice

My background is in visual anthropology, and I am interested in using creative methods to facilitate connections between people and place, specifically using time-bound methods and natural materials. Right now, I’m particularly excited to explore notions of time, place and belonging; I like making work that illuminates community connections and real human stories.

Here I am with my piece, Tracing Time, at my most recent exhibition with the LSA Contemporary Art Practice cohort at Custom House, Edinburgh.

Tracing Time, 2026

This site-responsive piece draws on my fascination with the seemingly impossible task of visualising time. Inspired by a study called ‘The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces’ by William H Whyte (1980), and using archived NLS maps of Custom House and the wider Leith Docks area, I researched depictions of the space over time, considering how the space was, is, and will be used. Interrogating my own understanding of time as an encompassing vertical spiral, the physical shape of this piece emerged. Through the use of natural, hand-made dyes I’ve explored the effect of seasonal changes on place, and looking closely, you may see outlines of spaces and topographical elements inspired by these maps.

Please note: I am awaiting the final professional photography of this exhibition.

Tracing Time, 2026. Mixed-media, textile installation. 10 panels, 50cm x 150cm. Ceiling suspension.

Project Development

Initial inspiration and preparations.

I was initially inspired by the metalwork and industrial elements that had endured through centuries. They were visually exciting and also spoke to my interest in alternative visualisations and understandings of time.

Time is a big theme in anthropology and understanding it, rationalising it, tethering it and visualising it is something that lots of humans seem to want to do. I got really interested in visualising time through a space, and found this project from the 1970s - 1980s by Sociologist William H Whyte, entitled The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces.

Whyte was studying these spaces from a sociological and psychological point of view, and found a way to map time onto them. He called this the social life of spaces. I found this idea really interesting and inspiring. I looked at many other examples of visualisations of time too.

For my neurodivergent brain, time has always presented itself as a vertical spiral. I kept seeing them everywhere and the concept for the form came to life.

The final form took a fair bit of development - I didn't like the look of this initial tube plan once it was scaled up, which is where the multiple panel design came from.

Sketchbook page of form development.

I made my own fabric dyes from foraged materials.

I wanted the colours to have a seasonal significance.

I abstracted some elements from the building’s existing architecture…

…and elements from old maps of the various iterations (and proposals) for Leith Docks through the years, some dating back to the early 1800s.

I planned out where each element would go in relation to the seasons and how the panels would hang.

At this point I was beginning to prioritise aesthetics over the research, often abstracting further as I progressed.

Everything was sewn on aside from a few tiny pieces.

This project taught me a lot about sewing machines and how to keep them happy…

Finally it was ready to hang - thanks to my lovely pal Pete who helped me hugely! There was a fair amount of tweaking required to hang the panels in the right position, at the right height and at the right distance apart.

A few finishing touches in situ, and it was complete! The months of work finally paid off.

Details

Tethered, A Proposal for work in The Yad on Falkland Estate, 2026

Situated in the water below The Yad waterfall, this site-specific piece was proposed to memorialise women in the landscape around the Falkland Estate, where traditionally throughout history women’s voices have been silenced.

The Falkland Estate is in a period of transition into community ownership, which I felt was an exciting and inspiring moment, especially for an artwork which focuses on themes of equality and temporality.

Throughout history, there have been nods to women across this landscape. These can be seen in sites on the Falkland Estate such as the ‘Maiden’s Bower’ and the ‘Maiden’s Castle’.

This specific site on the estate was chosen as the name ‘Yad’ is thought to translate to ‘Yaud’ in Scots, which is a contemptuous term for a woman; one of ‘slovenly or dissolute habits’ (Scottish National Dictionary, Sc. 1887).

Inspired by stories of women who have lived on the grounds and visited the waterfall, and the movement of long locks of hair in the water, this artwork prompts the viewer to think about the women who are often left out of history.

I developed these artworks as part of the proposal using chains and a photocopier.