Lucy Williams

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Earth materials 2023

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I am a Brighton based artist who explores sculptural woven form through foraged, found and grown materials. 

 

Through my intimate explorations of natural materials I discover their properties and potentialities. It’s the structure, fibres, layers and pores that give them their uniqueness. The way I work is very process driven and I rarely know what form a piece will take when I start. Pieces seem to evolve as I am making them. I hope I am capturing the essence of the materials. For me this gives me connection with the plants and the landscapes they come from. I try to work on at least part of the piece in situ.

 

My work tends to be small, I think this is because of both the nature of the materials and the close -up way I like to work; this results in pieces that require a close, intimate inspection.

 

I am interested in all the different materials that are available throughout the seasons.

I have lived my life in the South Downs and have a very strong connection with the landscape, from its geology to its wildlife. I value what makes places special to myself, others and communities and explore this by making objects or working with others often in a therapeutic manner.

 

I am constantly surprised and excited by the range of material available very locally in Brighton, particularly on my street and in my garden where olive trees, palms and bamboos grow in abundance. My allotment is a short distance away and also provides many things to weave with, including lots of weeds! Other inspiring materials wash up on the local beaches, especially seaweed.

 

My background is in geography, conservation and landscape architecture, and feel I delighted that over the last decade I have been able to extend this knowledge into a deeply fulfilling artistic practice.