Plastic Free Pearly Whites

As part of Plastic Free July, on Instagram throughout the month I’ve been sharing a few things that help to minimise my daily reliance on plastic.

When it comes to looking after the pearly whites, a bamboo toothbrush has been a solid part of my dental care routine for a good few years now. They’re so handy for me to repurpose in the workshop too.

Finding the right toothpaste fit was bit more of a journey. I really like the Georganics English Peppermint Toothpaste. In attempt to further minimise waste I did have a little a stab at making my own toothpaste. Long story short, it was not for me. I found the required amount of baking soda made it too salty and I couldn’t stick it out. This led me to have a little dabble with toothpaste tablets which I’ve been using for a fair few months now. You pop one in, give it a good chew (which took me a while to get used to), and then brush as normal as it turns to a paste. They create so little waste/mess and I love that you can buy them in bulk and keep in your own container.

I’d also been thinking about making my own mouthwash when the perfectly timed Rachel of The Foraged Life popped up in my Instagram stories with a little DIY recipe (thank you, Rachel!). It’s a really good base that I’ve tweaked just a little along the way to suit my taste etc. It’s so simple I thought I’d share with you what’s now part of my routine in case you want to give it a try. You can also find Rachel’s original recipe here (amongst lots of other helpful info for eco-friendly living).

DIY Mouthwash

Ingredients:

• peppermint essential oil - the essential oils I use for everything (including cleaning etc.) are from Sacred Soul Holistics - they are organic and the packaging is dreamy

• tea tree essential oil

• baking soda - if you don’t have a local bulk store, Zero Waste Club (UK) supply this online, plastic free

• filtered water (I don’t have a water filter so before using, I boil some water and let it cool)

• a glass bottle - my spherical bottle is from a local supplier, Wares of Knutsford

• funnel (this is optional but makes life a little easier, no need to buy one though - I made this from a piece of scrap paper and some washi tape)

Method (to make approx 400ml)

Step i)

Prep your water & pour into your glass bottle with a little room to spare

Step ii)

Add a few teaspoons of baking soda using the funnel. I have found that too much of this can make the solution taste salty so I’d suggest going slowly with this and see what works for you

Step iii)

Add peppermint oil to taste (the more the merrier for me - I add around 20-25 drops)

Step iv)

Add tea tree oil. Not a huge fan of the taste but it’s worth sneaking in for its antibacterial properties (around 10 drops)

Step v)

Shakey shakey

I hope that you have found this little post of use or at least of mild interest! I feel like I’m mostly there with my plastic free dental care routine but I’m still on the lookout for some biodegradable, vegan floss.

Let me know if you give the recipe or any of the products a go. If you have any other recommendations I’d love to hear them.

Lauren

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Essence + Alchemy: A Brand Refresh

Incense | all imagery by E+A

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of interviewing Founder of Essence + Alchemy (E+A), Lesley A Bramwell. During the interview, Lesley announced that the brand would soon be undergoing a refresh:

“I wanted the glass to be reusable and offer my customers physical candle refills which fit perfectly inside the glass.


The reuse of the glass is something that I’m trying to encourage even more of and I am currently working on a brand refresh with a new glass design to make it even more versatile for reuse.”

— Lesley, E+A | Letters of Ara, April 2019

A few months down the line, driven by Lesley’s continued commitment to a circular economy, E+A have re-released some of their existing products and introduced some new additions, with even more focus on designing with re-use in mind. The new line stays true to E+A’s signature aesthetic and materials (the wood wick, rapeseed oil wax, carefully blended essential oils & handblown glass) but with a new glass design intended to be even more versatile for re-use.

The new E+A beaker candle

Handblown in the UK, the new E+A glass containers are labelled with FSC certified, environmentally-friendly ECF pulp paper. Fundamentally, these beakers are designed to last, whilst being versatile for reuse.

“Ancient alchemists were surrounded by glass apparatus in the creation of mystical elixirs.

Taking inspiration from the traditional laboratory beaker, this collection of scented candles are hand poured into reusable British made handblown borosilicate glass vessels.

Wood wicks are handmade in the Essence + Alchemy garden laboratory with natural and untreated FSC wood.  ”

— E+A

Refill beaker candle, E+A

E+A offer refills singularly or as part of a subscription. Along with the rest of the line, they are packaged plastic-free, using recycled materials that are 100% recyclable and biodegradable.

“Essence + Alchemy is part of the circular economy movement — an alternative model to the ‘take, make, use, dispose’ approach to production and consumerism by designing products that can be ‘made to be made again’.

The Refills ⟲ line was launched in 2017 to offer a refreshing way of refilling containers without having to ship anything back.

Simple, no frills, refillable luxury.”

— E+A

New E+A votives, with tea-light refills

Lesley’s brand refresh has enabled her to further minimise waste throughout the lifespan of her products, providing a refreshing alternative to the excess waste often associated with consumables such as candles. The responsibly sourced borosilicate glass can be reused long after the candle has burned away. These are beautifully considered candles that have been designed with the planet in mind.

Lauren

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The warm glow of a lit E+A votive candle

Slowing Down with Sarah of CONSIDERED Magazine

Image taken during my stay at Porteous Studio in Edinburgh

In response to the ‘on demand’ culture of the fast-paced, digital world in which we now live, it’s easy to develop a heightened level of expectation concerning content consumption. For some, me included, the eternal stream of content that we are presented with -or subjected to- can feel overwhelming. I genuinely love the community of digital platforms such as Instagram that have introduced me to so many other like-minded individuals and encouraged purposeful, positive experiences. Yet, always in search of balance, I also really value taking some time to truly absorb myself in a physical publication of interest, and to enjoy the slower speed of consumption that print media permits. 

A timely antidote for fast paced digital consumption, CONSIDERED Magazine is an independently published, bi-annual print magazine exploring sustainable lifestyle, thoughtful design and mindful travel. Aiming to raise awareness of and encourage discussion around sustainability issues from an environmental, social and economic perspective, CONSIDERED is a brand that I resonated with straight away and I could not wait for the release of its first publication. I picked up my copy of volume 1 from the lovely folk at Rare Mags (a local independent store selling, you guessed it, rare magazines). The book itself is a thing of beauty and, fittingly, consideration for the magazine’s impact runs deeper than its title; each copy has been printed and bound locally to me in North West England, on 100 pages of unbleached, FSC certified paper with vegetable based ink. 

This is such a special publication featuring the perfect balance of informative, exploratory and inspiring content all woven together with beautifully captured imagery. Topics explored in volume 1 include lesser explored everyday sustainability, considered exploration to Almeria, Manchester, Belfast and the Causeway Coast, a considered style directory, carbon responsibility, and the concept of ‘Slow Art’. In her letter, CONSIDERED Editor and Founder, Sarah Marie Vera shares an insight into a part of her upbringing which instilled the value of being grateful for what she had, and being mindful of the effort and energy involved in creating things. I think this is such an important point to consider, particularly at a time when, as a society, we have become so detached from how and where our products are made. This often leads to products that are made with ethical and sustainable consideration appearing expensive in comparison. Seeing an awareness for -and addressing of- these kind of issues, particularly in a print publication, is hopefully indicative of a shift in the public perception of value and the time for effective change. 

It is such a treat to sit and pour through this book, not least because I stumbled upon a mention of Ara the altar whilst reading it (the loveliest of surprises). Regardless of this little cherry on top of the magazine pie, CONSIDERED is something I knew I had to share and wanted to learn more about, so I was over the moon when Sarah agreed to an interview for the Slow chapter of Letters of Ara. I am so grateful to Sarah for taking the time to explore her work with me today, and for including Ara the altar in the first volume - it’s one I’ll treasure forever. 

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Sarah - first of all, congratulations on the launch of volume I. To begin, I’d love to hear a little more about you and what led to the concept for CONSIDERED Magazine.

Thank you so much! I guess that due to my modest upbringing, I’ve always had a level respect for taking care of what we have and not being wasteful – this attitude extended to food, clothing and items in general and stuck with me into adulthood. When I was very young (around 4/5 years old) I decided that I didn’t want to eat meat and I think this also took me down a path of awareness and questioning.  Then around 6 or 7 years ago I became a little disillusioned with our ‘typical’ way of life – I was working longer hours than I would’ve liked to, becoming tired of over-consumption and feeling like I wasn’t embracing the creative side of my personality enough so I set about making small changes to my life, such as cutting back on unnecessary spending and thinking about how I would like to express myself creatively. I bought myself a DSLR and began experimenting with photography, writing, exploring sustainability and minimalism and this led me to the idea for CONSIDERED Magazin

Why was it important for you to produce CONSIDERED Magazine in print?

Initially I toyed with the idea of CONSIDERED being a digital magazine / email newsletter but this felt restrictive in delivering the message and experience I wanted readers to have.  I’ve always enjoyed magazines and the experience of feeling immersed in an article or photo coupled with the feel of the texture of the pages, the sound of the pages being turned and smell of the fresh print.  I wanted to produce something that was inspiring in imagery and context but also provided an escape for the reader, an opportunity to slow down and digest the content without use of a screen which we use all too often in modern day life.  I love magazines such as Kinfolk and Cereal and look forward to a slow morning or evening reading them with a hot drink and ‘switching off’ from everyday life for an hour or so. I wanted to do the same with CONSIDERED where the subject matter was sustainability and mindfulness.

When working on the magazine, how do you determine the areas you would like to explore for a publication, and with this being a bi-annual publication, how do you go about your planning?

Good question! For Volume 1 this was somewhat easy for me as I approached the first magazine as a personal project in a way. I selected topics and places that were of interest to me or close to my heart.  In the ‘CONSIDERED Places’ chapter of Volume 1, I wanted to showcase Belfast and the Causeway Coast - which is where I grew up, Manchester - which is my current home and a yoga retreat in Almería which was my Summer holiday the previous year where I took part in the yoga retreat but also experimented with photography and writing whilst there.  In terms of sustainability, I knew that sustainable fashion would be a big part of the magazine given my own journey on this front and the inherit pollution and unethical practice of the current fast fashion model.  Mindfulness was also a theme I wanted to explore and found that this linked quite well with art hence the ‘Slow Art’ and ‘Mindfulness and Art’ articles.  I wanted the magazine to be appealing and inspiring to those already familiar with slow living and sustainable lifestyle but also those that are maybe less informed, and with that I wanted to offer a mix of rich and in-depth content, for example the ‘What Carbon Counts’ article as well as lighter content such as the ‘Sustainable Swaps’ article.

For Volume 2 we (CONSIDERED intern, Joost and I) have started to plan the content.  As a starting point, I asked our followers on Instagram what they would like to see and this has determined the key themes which will be Sustainable Fashion, Sustainable Home and CONSIDERED Places, with other smaller chapters in between.  Again, the content will be a mix of in-depth and lighter reading and the imagery will be inspiring and emotive.  Lots of ideas already!

Can you share a little more about the community side of CONSIDERED?

Of course.  One of the things that was important to me was to utilise the magazine as a platform, not just to inform and inspire but to build a community of like-minded people.  Plans for the CONSIDERED Community are to create primarily offline but also online opportunities for those interested in a slower, more sustainable lifestyle to connect, learn and experience.  I also hope to have a CONSIDERED newsletter that goes out in-between print editions.  Time is very much being spent focussing on Volume 1 and 2 at the moment but watch this space for more on the community – we’ll be sharing updates via the Instagram page and anyone interested can register for the CONSIDERED Community via the website.

When working on CONSIDERED, what might a ‘typical’ day look like for you? 

Until very recently I had a full-time job outside of my CONSIDERED work so it was very much a careful juggling act whilst being mindful not to become overwhelmed.  As a freelancer (in my day job), I’ve taken some time out to focus on the magazine between work contracts and I have Joost working with me on an intern basis.

I’m still pretty new to this but I guess a typical day for me will differ depending on what stage of the magazine production I am at.  At the moment, a typical day is to check orders for Volume 1that are received through the consideredmag.co site, then package and post these.  Then check my emails for any stockist orders / contributor queries and work through these. Then my focus switches to Volume 2 where Joost and I are planning the content / researching brands and contributors and generally gathering ideas as they come to us!  As we get into the detailed planning stages and development of the content I anticipate my day will be a little more structured.

What can we look forward to from CONSIDERED in the future? 

Mostly more of the same although I’m keen to keep pushing the content quality with each new volume. For example, in Volume 2 we will be shooting some exclusive editorial photography, something which wasn’t done for Volume 1.  I also hope to increase the page count of the magazine a little so that we’re giving more to the readers and where suitable, work with sustainable brands on a collaborative basis.  And of course, there’s the CONSIDERED community events – all being well we’ll hold one of these before the end of the year.

Living a considered lifestyle yourself, what have you found to be your favourite or most purposeful way to minimise your own environmental impact?

Over the years I’ve made a number of small changes to my lifestyle that add up to a reduction on my overall environmental impact.  Being a vegetarian places less demand on planet, then there are the other small changes such as using a reusable cup for hot drinks and carrying my own bag to avoid plastic ones.  On the fashion front, I only buy clothes when I have a need for them and take good care of the clothes I already own to lengthen their life. When I do buy clothes I’m looking for ethical brands that pay fairly and look after their workers as well as using natural and where possible, organic fabrics and styles which stand the test of time.

Finally, what do you do to invite a little slowness or self-care into your everyday? 

I’m a big fan of slow mornings and little everyday rituals.  I find if I’m rushed in the morning it sets the scene for the rest of my day so I make time to organise myself the evening before, (i.e. what clothes I’m going to wear, what things I need to bring with me) so I can have a decent breakfast, enjoy some quiet time, perhaps do a short yoga session and allow myself to wake up gradually before I start the work elements of my day.  When I was in full-time work I requested a 9.30am start time so I could continue this way and luckily with the growing acceptance of flexible working arrangements I was granted this.  On the rituals front I love long baths, herbal tea, lighting candles or incense and reading.  I’m not a big TV fan so often find myself relaxing to music rather than the backdrop of a TV programme.   I try to maintain a healthy balance which isn’t always easy but over the years I’ve found that prioritising what is important to me helps me to better arrange my day in a way that supports my overall wellbeing.

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Explore more & order CONSIDERED Magazine via the CONSIDERED website

Follow @consideredmag / @sarahmarievera on Instagram

In the Laboratory with Lesley of Essence + Alchemy

All imagery by Essence + Alchemy

Every month as part of my Letters of Ara e-mail newsletter I share a likeminded brand that is creating beautiful products with respect for both people and the planet. The brand I have chosen to share this month operates in line with a set of values that I respect and resonate with both professionally and personally, as a brand and as a consumer. As such, I wanted to allow a little extra time to explore the purpose and influence behind this month’s special brand. 

Essence + Alchemy (E+A), inspired by the elements of fire, water, air and earth, creates botanical scented goods with a focus on handcrafting sustainable, natural collections with honesty and transparency. Upon first discovering E+A, not long after beginning my own journey with Ara the altar, I felt a real connection to this considered brand which ‘strives to use creative solutions to make a positive impact on the planet’.  

Founder Lesley A Bramwell (with the fitting initials ‘L.A.B’), began her journey as an environmental scientist, with a passion for sustainability. Consequently, Lesley’s product design ensures that ‘products are made with minimal impact on the earth, its people and its organisms’. Lesley considers not only from what materials her products are made but also how and from where they have travelled; how they are packaged; how the energy required to make them is generated; and how any waste will be minimised. I particularly love that E+A handblown glass beakers are designed with reuse in mind and have found Lesley’s low-waste tea-light sets to make well received, considered gifts. I am over the moon to speak with Lesley and to explore and share with you her thoughtful, sustainable, design-led approach. 

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Hello, Lesley – thank you so much for spending a little time with me and Letters of Ara. First of all, please tell us a little about yourself and the path that led you to E+A.

Hello Lauren, thank you for the lovely introduction and inviting me to be part of your beautiful Letters of Ara! 

Where do I start? I suppose my path to Essence + Alchemy was quite a long one, but I’ve always been creative, making home remedies and potions with botanicals and essential oils - bath oils, diffuser blends etc. 

I studied environmental science at university and went onto become a freelance occupational hygiene and environmental consultant working in all kinds of environments and industries. I measured exposure to chemicals and advised on environmental legislation and compliance.  Working with businesses who were passionate about protecting the environment, I knew that when I started E+A, that sustainability would be at the heart of it.

We bought an old run down house a few years ago (which we are still renovating) and in the early days it was very cold and there wasn’t much comfort.  I was travelling around the country Monday to Friday, then chipping plaster off the walls at the weekend.  I think initially I needed a more relaxing creative outlet, an escape from the mess of the house and although not the best conditions to start making candles in with all the dirt and dust, I started experimenting with candle making. I can’t remember the exact moment I started making candles but I remember considering all the different waxes.  Aromatherapy has been part of my daily life since I was a teenager and I’ve always been fascinated with how essential oils work and how they affect our well-being.  From the offset I chose rapeseed wax because of it’s eco credentials and scenting with anything other than essential oils never crossed my mind.  

A few years later, Essence + Alchemy was hatched, bringing together the natural scent and energy of plants (essence) with my scientific and environmental background (alchemy) and launched on line in Spring 2015.

You have created a beautiful concept and brand that entwines the elements, is rooted in environmental science, and creates beautifully designed products responsibly. From where do you take your influence and what do you see as your brand’s purpose? 

Thank you! The brand is strongly influenced by aromatherapy and the theories of alchemy.  I enjoy researching essential oils, their benefits and magical properties.  I also love discovering old alchemical texts and finding out the meanings behind words and symbols.

One of the main beliefs of Alchemy was that there were the four natural elements; air, fire, water and earth and with the right combination of these, any substance could be formed including healing elixirs. I wanted to draw on this idea and create products with purpose, ones that could help promote natural well-being by using only natural plant based ingredients and the practice of aromatherapy.

It is clear that consideration for the planet’s resources influences your decision making. What are some of the decisions you have made to lessen E+A’s environmental impact and why?

I’m fascinated with the elements, how they impact each other, changing the landscape and environmental conditions and how human interference influences these connections causing imbalance in the ecosystem.  

I always consider this in my decision making because I want my business, although small, to cause as little impact on the earth as I can, so I’m always considering how my processes and products will affect the environment and the environmental decisions of my customer.  

Nature is where I draw both my inspiration and raw materials from so it’s vital that I make considered decisions on the materials I use and sourcing so I’m always looking at where the materials come from, are they sustainable, are they ethically sourced and if they don’t tick these boxes I have to start again.  

It’s also important to remember that just because something’s natural, it doesn’t mean it’s safe or it’s been safely extracted.  Many essential oils are solvent extracted with harmful chemicals like petroleum ether and hexane.  I only use steam distilled essential oils because I know it’s a more natural and gentle method of extraction and those solvents haven’t been used in the extraction process. Essential oils are the soul, the life essence of the plant so it’s important not to destroy that by harsh extraction methods.

Another important decision I made at the very beginning was to consider the life cycle of my products, in particular the packaging - what happens to the packaging and glass when the candle is used. With this in mind, I had to think about the glass.  I wanted the glass to be reusable and offer my customers physical candle refills which fit perfectly inside the glass.  The reuse of the glass is something that I’m trying to encourage even more of and I am currently working on a brand refresh with a new glass design to make it even more versatile for reuse. 

What drove the impetus to refresh the brand, and what can we look forward to upon its relaunch?

It’s always hard running a business and making the right decisions.  Sometimes creativity and the need to please can take over.  The decision behind the brand refresh happened towards the end of last year when I realised that I had too many candle size options, I suppose I was trying to please everyone.  I needed to get back to my core values and strip everything right back.  I can’t really reveal too much at this stage but I will be relaunching next month with a new look - glassware and packaging. 

When considering the production process, can you share a little about your practice and the journey you undergo in creating a scent or a product?

When it comes to creating scent, I always start off with the plants, for an example I created a bespoke diffuser scent ‘Land’ for The Plant Room based in Leeds.  It was to scent an installation at the London Design Festival in London last year.  They were creating a landscape of grasses and plants inspired by the Scottish Highlands.  My first step was to look at the plants they were using and also research what was growing in Scotland and worked from there.  

I then look at what essential oils are available and before I decide on whether they can be used,  I check if they are steam distilled as this is the most gentlest form of extraction and also make sure that there aren’t any sustainability or ethical issues. Usually I work by adding a drop of each oil onto scent paper and smell the scents on their own, then with each other to see how they work together.  I then create two to three different blend variations. I let the oils blend together for a few days, return to them and tweak further if required.

Do you find that you experience any particular challenges in staying true to your values, personally as well as professionally? 

Yes definitely.  This is why the brand refresh and product changes are so important. Sometimes when running a business, outside influences can blur your vision and it’s very easy to veer of course sometimes but I think for the most part its easier professionally to stay true to my values.  From a personal perspective, there are always challenges.  I’m not the only decision maker at home so there will be always be compromises.  We’re always looking at ways of reusing things at home.  Whatever comes out of the house renovation has found a new home somewhere else in the house or garden or is waiting to be reused. My husband built our kitchen with wood off-cuts from a kitchen business and most of our furniture is second hand or repaired. 

Finally, what does a typical day look like for you and is there anything in particular that you do to invite a little slowness or self-care into your life and work? 

I’m very fortunate to work from my garden so I don’t have far to go to work.  My mornings are very relaxed and peaceful, the favourite part of my day.  I arrive at the garden lab around 8am and enjoy this quiet time. If the weather is good, I sit outside with a cuppa with Jack my border collie and enjoy the garden for a while.

Before that I generally switch the wax melter on.  It can take a few hours for the wax to melt.  I then catch up with emails and admin while the wax slowly melts away in the background. I make everything to order so every day is different.  I enjoy this way of working, it means that every product is made with intention and I know when I’m pouring a candle, who that candle is for and where it’s going. 

Other times I can be working on creating new scent blends, for E+A or bespoke projects I’m working on or I can be experimenting with new materials or product testing.  It’s very varied, no day is the same. Working with essential oils helps with my mental well-being, I don’t know what I have would have done without aromatherapy in my life and now I get to work with essential oils everyday! 

I’m always in the garden, enjoying the birds chattering away or investigating what’s growing.  At the moment, the Forget-Me-Nots have just started flowering and Tulips are just about to open.  I find that being so close to nature everyday helps slow things down when things start getting a little bit hectic, just being able to step outside for a few minutes is the best tonic.

☾

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A few months down the line, E+A launched their brand refresh.

Read my journal post exploring Lesley’s updated offering, designed with a circular economy in mind.

Anti Waste Hair Accessories

Images by Sarah Victoria Bates for Bug x Glasshouse

I love to see thoughtful, independent businesses come together to create something considered, beautiful and purposeful, so I was over the moon to learn that Bug Clothing and Glasshouse Salon were combining their resources and skills to create a collection of dreamy anti-waste hair accessories.

Looking for a reason to use the abundance of linen scraps as a result of the production process in the Bug Hackney Wick studio, Bug worked together with Glasshouse to dream up and create a selection of three timeless accessories:

• the classic scrunchie

• a head wrap - perfect for the beach or days when you don’t want to wash or deal with your hair

• a hair ribbon - for low pony-tails, low buns, or tying your hair up in a new way

Handmade by Bug founder, Amy Ward and her team, the scrunchie, head wrap and hair ribbon come in a beautiful range of linen colours and weights, available to purchase from both Bug Clothing and Glasshouse Shop.

When this collaboration launched last year I knew it was something I wanted to support. I love the idea of repurposing scraps that would otherwise become waste, together with knowing that the pieces are made from linen, a sustainable, natural material with little reliance on pesticides or water. I have fine, wavy hair that never sits quite right in a pony tail and I chose the hair ribbon in Cardamom. I love using it to tie my locks in a low knot or up in a high pony. It looks effortless and is an easy way to introduce a little pop of colour. I’ve still got my eye on a terracotta scrunchie..

Bug Clothing produce beautiful garments on a small scale using only natural fibres from deadstock designer factory waste. Bug make use of existing excess, rather than contributing to the production of new materials. Bug’s garments ‘reflect the ideology that we should all buy less and admire quality and consideration over quantity’ and they believe that ‘clothing should be comfortable and purposeful, without faulting on style, so we design garments that can be worn for years to come’. I love that Bug creates with longevity in mind, and I have fallen for their Earl jumpsuit.

Glasshouse Salon seek to make natural, organic and ethical hair and beauty more accessible. With a focus on long-term condition of hair, Glasshouse use only products that contain gentle, nourishing, natural ingredients. Their sister shop, Glasshouse Shop, combines the salon’s know-how with the Glasshouse aesthetic, offering unique, professional products that encompass all aspects of beauty - hair, skin and body. The shop takes care to approach hair and beauty needs with high regard to sustainability, considering every brand they stock from a sustainable and ethical perspective.

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Exploring Nature in Art with Hannah Clare

‘Totem’ & ‘Dart’ by Hannah Clare

I sometimes think the demands and distraction that go hand in hand with adulthood cause us to navigate far away from many of the creative endeavours often enjoyed in our earlier days. In my youth I adored drawing and painting but as I grew older and began to focus my education towards a particular career pathway (shoot production), I unintentionally drifted away from the other creative practices with which I was once so absorbed. Now, in trying to adopt a slower, more mindful way of life, I can see the importance in committing a little time to create something.

For a while, my partner and I have been talking about making our own pigments from natural materials (something far outside our wheelhouse). With this in mind, I was delighted to learn that artist, Hannah Clare -who’s work I have admired for some time- had begun exploring with natural ink. Collecting and interacting with the natural landscape is an important part of Hannah’s work which communicates organic forms, patterns and textures using a beautiful, calming tonal palette. With a view to encouraging others to reengage with the creative outlets of their earlier days, and to learn more about the process of working with nature in art, I spent a little time speaking with Hannah to explore her approach and practice.

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Hello, Hannah – Thank you so much for spending some time with me and Letters of Ara. For anyone new to your work, please tell us a little about yourself and how you found your path as an artist?

Hello all! Thanks very much for having me Lauren, I'm so glad to be part of this beautiful project. 

I am Hannah, I am an artist, I live in sunny, blustery Brighton. I have loved making for art as long as I can remember but I suppose it became a really significant part of my life as a teenager, I loved art at school and creativity was how I expressed myself in my own time too. After leaving school I took a BTEC in Art & Design for 2 years, It felt like a dream to go straight into studying art full time. Then I fell in love with Brighton and got a place to study illustration at the University of Brighton 2006. I chose illustration because my work always fell somewhere between fine art and design, and I liked the idea of developing my own visual language and being able to respond to anything in this way. These were an amazing, immersive and playful few years but I struggled with where my work fit in the illustration world and being an introverted person, I ended up feeling a bit burnt out by education by the end. So I've spent the years since then slowly finding my voice and confidence as an artist, realising my love for abstract work and honing a practice which combines my love of art and nature. 

How would you summarise your work? 

My works are mixed-media collages, arrangements of mark-making, drawing, printed and found material, and more recently, natural inks. I have always thought of these pieces as visual poems or microcosms. They are culminations of time spent walking, gathering, reading, making marks, creating colours, printmaking, responding to an experience or something I've collected. The final piece captures a place, season, time and memory. My work has always been informed by the natural world; since I was a child I have loved immersing myself in nature and I have always found joy in gathering things, noticing small creatures, textures, colours and being aware of the changes each season brings.

I start by working freely on making marks, shapes, colours and patterns, working intuitively. Then I create carefully considered compositions, thinking about how the elements communicate with each other, how they balance as a whole, this process can be meditative for me, it's like finding order in the chaos.

I really like that you described my pieces as using a calming palette, as people have often considered me to be a calming influence as a person, and spending time in nature has always had a calming affect on me, so it's nice to think of my artwork as being a continuation of that and having that affect on others too. 

From where do you find yourself taking influence and inspiration? 

I collect and gather things from my walks; grasses, lichen, seed pods, shells, pebbles, feathers... I might physically use these in mark-making, printing or making ink, or they might find their way into my work in some abstract form, the shape, colour or texture. 

I've always loved the work of the land artists, contemporary artists and sculptors working with nature and landscape, I love the aesthetics of working with natural materials, as well as the ephemeral nature of some of their work. 

I also find inspiration in poetry, nature-writing, folklore and music, I'm drawn to things that balance beauty, poetry and darkness. I love the duality of things, nature can be beautiful and terrifying, life is funny and tragic, a person can be wonderful and awful. Firm favourites have been Tove Jansson, Alice Oswald, Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes. I make lists of words that I like when reading, these often end up being used as titles for my pieces too. 

One aspect to which I am particularly drawn is the presence of natural ink in your work, ink that you make yourself. Please can you explain a little about how you were drawn to this method, and what this process involves? 

I became interested in the process of natural dyeing a couple of years ago, I loved the idea of foraging or growing your own colours and physically linking a piece back to a place, time and a part of nature. After experimenting together with my Mum (who also makes plant dyed textiles) we took a course with Jane Meredith in Herefordshire and spent a weekend at her cottage on the beautiful riverbanks of the Wye, picking plants from her garden, dyeing, felting and weaving, surrounded by willows and kingfishers. I was really taken with the process but it took me until the last few months really to turn this knowledge into ink making and work similar processes into my own practice. I also recently discovered the work of Jason Logan of The Toronto Ink Company and his book 'Make Ink' which has been a huge inspiration, and in turn led me to discover lots of other artists creating really beautiful things with natural inks and pigments. 

There are a few ways to make ink, but it's hard to go wrong as it's an experimental process. Simply put, you can steep or boil plant matter in water for as long as it takes to get a colour you are happy with, you can use a fixative to help preserve the colour, and if needed, a thickener to create a good texture for drawing or writing. If you are foraging you need to know about what you are handling, if things are poisonous, do your research and remember the golden rules of foraging: if you can't name it, don't pick it and only pick what you need. There are also lots of things you can use to create natural colour which you'll find in your own kitchen - coffee, red cabbage, avocado pits, onion skins, this is a good place to start, and a great way to use waste!

Do you find that there are challenges to working with natural materials?

The blessings can also be a curse, but that's what makes it exciting. Most natural inks are fugitive, which means they will change and fade over time and they can go off, it's part of working with something that is organic. You also have to be aware that if you find a plant that works or makes a colour you really love, it might only be available for a couple of weeks of the year, so you have to be in tune with what is in season or you might miss it! This is all still an ongoing learning process for me but I have always enjoyed that element of serendipity. I love that you don't quite know what you're going to get, and that you might never make the same colour twice. 

‘Flint’ & ‘Nacre’ by Hannah Clare

What can we look forward to seeing from Hannah Clare in the future, and is there a particular direction in which you might like to see your practice develop or take you? 

I am excited about spending the forthcoming year exploring natural ink-making and seeing what the seasons bring me. I've just decided to create a series of seasonal prints over the next year so I'm working on that at the moment. I’d love to bring more printmaking elements into my work, so maybe I’ll make than an aim for the next year or so!

What do you do to invite slower, more mindful practice into your life and work? 

Spending time outdoors and time by myself is a big part of my creative process and important to me in general, as doing these things also help me to recharge and keep balanced. I've learnt that as an introverted person, I function better in all aspects of my life when I have given myself the time to just walk and think, or sit and write. I live by writing lists and journalling, I have found for a long time that this practice helps me organise my thoughts, focus on what I want to achieve, visualise my ideas and reflect on things I've done or things I've learnt about myself. I also keep a 'good things' list for every month, to take moments to acknowledge little things I have found joy in, my version of the gratitude journal. 

Finally, do you have any advice for anyone thinking of trying or revisiting a creative outlet? 

Just enjoy the doing, trust your instincts and try not to compare yourself to others. The more you 'do' the more you learn, build momentum and confidence.

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I am so grateful to Hannah for sharing this insight into her practice. You can find Hannah’s beautiful artwork here and follow more of Hannah’s ink making process via Instagram.

Slow Tea

Slow living, whilst embracing a simpler approach, shouldn’t mean denying ourselves that which brings us joy. For me, slowing down is about allowing myself time to make my experiences more meaningful. To choose more consciously, and to appreciate the beauty and benefit of something, with respect for people and the planet along the way.

Probably my favourite way to incorporate a little slowness into my everyday is through the process of preparing tea. Looking for less impactful ways to consume tea, I moved to teabags free from bleach & plastic (Clipper is a good place to start) and for a while now I’ve been in the habit of enjoying loose leaf. Not only does it eliminate the need for unnecessary plastic, but it can also be purchased in bulk to further minimise waste and, ultimately, you’re more aware of what you’re consuming.

My personal go-to teas are earl grey first thing (I don’t consume dairy so I don’t take milk but my preference is to have it black) and then usually a light green throughout the day. What I particularly love about loose leaf tea is how it naturally encourages you to take your time and focus purely on the simple task in hand. 

There’s something of a ritual about the process of measuring out what you need for your cup or pot, pouring the water over and not straying too far whilst it brews to just the right amount. It’s a full sensory experience: the aroma; feeling the warmth of the tea through the ceramic of the cup in my hands; sipping and savouring the tea, all of which allows me to connect to the present moment and experience what I have made, mindfully. 

If you are looking to minimise your waste at work as well as at home, it’s easier to make the switch than you might think once you are in the habit as there are lots of tea strainer options on the market intended for single-cup use rather than a pot. I personally find it a real pleasure to use natural or tactile materials in the process. This bamboo tea strainer and organic tea are from the lovely Parigotte, a beautiful company selling responsibly sourced and packaged loose leaf tea.

I hope this inspires you to invite a little slowness into your everyday.

Lauren

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Recommended listening: If you’re looking for audio inspiration to accompany your time with your tea, I highly recommend the dreamy Opium Tea by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

Pictured

Bar Pendants I & II

Bamboo tea strainer & wooden spoon | Parigotte

Stoneware mug | Consall Forge Pottery from Form Lifestyle Store