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Leith Hill Place's artist in residence
- Published:
- 21 August 2024
We’re excited to welcome our artist in residence at Leith Hill Place, Rosie May Jones. Throughout her three-month residency from August to October Rosie will explore how we shape our identities with our relationship to the land through poetry, performative research and participatory workshops. The residency is in collaboration with Surrey Hills Arts.
About Rosie
Rosie May Jones is a multi-disciplinary artist and poet, specialising in spoken word, with a background in traditional oral storytelling. She creates performances and audio-visual narratives exploring social and environmental issues, such as: land rights, cultural identity and our connection to the natural world.
Her work examines contemporary society through personal stories, historical frameworks and re-imagined folklore. She creates sensory and performative experiences within the landscape, and reinterprets environments through the physicalisation of story and place.
Rosie May Jones at Leith Hill
During Rosie’s first month of residency at Leith Hill Place, she has focused on research through interviews and uncovering stories encoded within the landscape, as well as directly connecting to the landscape through mindful walking and movement. Over the coming months Rosie will be continuing to develop this work, alongside running a series of workshops and open studios, culminating in some small performances at Leith Hill Place and in the surrounding landscape.
Rosie May Jones at Leith Hill Place | © Rosie May Jones 
Rosie May Jones at Leith Hill Place | © Rosie May Jones
Join in
Open Studios
Sat 7 & Sun 8 Sep, 11am-2pm
Come along and Rosie May Jones in her studio at Leith Hill Place and participate in creating a large-scale image and text based collage. This collaborative art piece asks visitors: “What does the English landscape mean to you? Have your say and share your thoughts and feelings. No previous artistic experience is required. Free. Everyone is welcome.
Poetry & Place workshop
Sat 7 & Sun 8 Sep, 2.30-4pm
Facilitated by Rosie, this free workshop will use word games and poetry techniques to connect to the landscape. You will be introduced to different poetic tools and encouraged to create your own poetry, haikus and kennings, whilst directly responding to the inspiring surroundings of Leith Hill Place. No previous poetry experience is required – the workshop is open to adults and acompanied children over the age of 10 years. Free, but please book as spaces are limited.
Throughout this residency I am exploring what an inclusive cultural identity can look like, one that incorporates living traditions with a deep connection to place. This question has never felt more pertinent to me, over the past month we have seen how divided England has become, with race riots and counter protests raging across the UK. However, making space to listen to each other is an important first step in finding common ground and the natural landscape has the power to be a great equaliser, because to these hills we are all immigrants
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