bringing the outside in
In 2016, Arts Council England supported a project titled 'Botanical Bentley', which involved delving into the collections at Bentley Priory Museum, exploring the building and its grounds to shed new light on the museum’s history.
Although the museum itself primarily tells the story of the Battle of Britain, the building and surrounding grounds have a rich history beyond World War Two. This project shone a light on past inhabitants of the building and their changing fashions in landscape gardening throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Botanical Bentley also explored the use of floral symbolism in military uniform and medals.
The resulting permanent murals in the cafe and the learning centre link the property with its gardens and the gardens with the museum collections. I also designed a visitor activity trail and led a series of workshops for museum visitors, who were invited to co-create a mural with me within a temporary exhibition, inspired by the botanical stories unearthed through the project.
“An extremely enjoyable, social and therapeutic workshop. My spirits have been lifted!”
— Workshop participant
primary source research
I adore the research element of all projects just as much as creating the final works of art. In developing concepts for the murals, trail and exhibition, I delved into original garden plans, researched 18th Century plant symbolism and the 'Great Age of English Garden Design' and uncovered floral motifs hidden around the building - part of which was designed by Sir John Soane. I also visited Kew Archives; the following are reference images, reproduced with kind permission of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
