DURING the growing season of 2024 a crop of flax (Linum usitatissimum) was grown in the almost enclosed circle at the end of the meadow at Kestle Barton, near Helston.

This was a communal activity, overseen by Alice Fox, with help from Kestle Barton staff and a changing team of volunteers. Sowing, tending, harvesting, retting, and processing were undertaken, resulting in fibres for spinning, as well as flax plants dried at different stages for use later on.

Alice visited Kestle Barton in each season, spending time in residence. Each visit added to Alice’s experience and understanding of the place and the materials available for weaving and construction of surfaces and structures.

Alice gathered materials in each season to make sculpture with; and made botanical inks during each visit as well, building up a place-based colour chart and a library of materials with which to work.

Sustainability is at the heart of Alice’s practice. The desire to take an ethical approach has driven a shift from using conventional art and textile materials into exploring found objects, gathered materials and natural processes.

Dr. Ryya Bread, curatorial director of Kestle Barton, explained: "Alice is a fibre artist who is naturally attuned to the ethos and aims of Kestle Barton. She has a keen interest in the natural world. She possesses important knowledge of traditional skills in both textiles and growing.

“She brings all of herself to her creative tasks of making, with a woven blend of both experimental and systematic approaches. Her finished pieces are steeped in a sense of the familiar, and yet offer up something utterly new – a hybrid of nature and human design.”

As part of Kestle Barton's Summer Solstice celebrations, a public opening for Flaxen will take place on Saturday, June 21 at 1pm, including an artist talk and demonstrations of the flax processing and spinning.

Earlier in the day, (11.30am start) the local St Keverne Band will perform local artist Abigail Reynolds' work Double Brass in the wildflower meadow. All are invited to join in the festivities and there is no admission fee.

For the last weekend of the exhibition on Saturday, August 30, Alice will be offering a workshop on ‘Botanical Inks at Kestle Barton'. She received funding from the Theo Moorman Trust for Weavers to buy flax processing equipment and towards developing this new body of flax focused artwork.