Historically, the role of crops in a farming system range from willow, rushes, flowers, beeswax, linen, wool, clothes, hemp rope, leather etc have always had a value as an additional farm income. With globalisation, these products are rarely produced at farm level. This Exchange will feature the uses of some of these products, such as willow and rushes. The project will be led by local artist Gerardine Wisdom who will discuss how these locally-grown crops and elements found on the farm can be converted into artistic and functional pieces that increase in value.

Expert
Gerardine Wisdom artist

The project will be led by local artist Gerardine Wisdom who will discuss how these locally-grown crops and elements found on the farm can be converted into artistic and functional pieces that increase in value.

and

Esther Gerrard from Elements of Action
Gerardine Wisdom
Gerardine Wisdom is an artist who works in rushwork basketry and also in ceramics. Uniquely in Ireland, she has taken this ancient craft of rushwork and turned it into a new Irish Art Form in sculpture. Gerardine has passion for rushes and is inspired by the natural beauty she sees around her in the Irish landscape where she lives,
especially in its lake and shores of the Shannon. Recent work: 2021 Rushwork horse sculpture 'Brave' for The Applefest in Clonmel. Rushwork ‘Cocoons’ commissioned for the Tourist Office in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. 

Gerardine worked with John Gerrard to make the Cornwork straw costumes from barley, wheat and rye stalks.

Esther Gerrard from Elements of Action will lead a workshop on wreath making with flowers, branches and foraged materials.

Elements of Action, the husband and wife team Esther Gerrard and Edward Coveney hand-craft beautiful objects in their Studio in Cork. Taking backgrounds in stone masonry and landscape design, their knowledge of materiality, the vernacular and landscape brings a new take to furniture design. The collection of brass, marble and wood are high quality, beautiful and collectable homewares and gifts.

The wreath making workshop - 

Make your own handcrafted seasonal wreath, the workshop takes a simple hoop and we work through a selection of locally foraged and seasonal foliage ; what works and how to attach. The concept is you can change and keep adding to your wreath seasonally.