About the event

Come down to Aqueduct Cottage, to see the work of this brilliant local artist.

Artist Bios / Introduction:

I live just outside Belper and work as a freelance artist on projects in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and across the UK – and also in Europe, especially in Finland.  My work is driven and inspired by a life long love and explorations of the natural world – a connection to nature, natural resources and the land feeds into all projects I work on.  I’m interested in exploring the relationship between people and places, looking at landscapes and buildings and the stories and histories associated with them.

I’m fascinated by tales, words and narratives – real and imagined – and the shadows and traces left on journeys made by humans and other creatures.  I work with photography, print, old books and text, found objects, natural materials and fabrics – combining and layering together images, words, textures and thoughts.

I’ve worked on many commissions, exhibitions and installations and very recently was artist in residence in Koli National Park in North Karelia, Finland.  I’ve also recently exhibited as part of Belper Arts Trail, Melbourne Arts Festival, Sherwood Art Week and several other regional events and festivals. I’ve been working with Scarthin Books in Cromford with my fellow artist Katy Doncaster to create installations in the Art Room and the Children’s Book Room.     Other commissions have included work with Calke Abbey and Clumber Park (National Trust), with BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, with Lakeside Children’s Festival (Nottingham), with Rufford Park as well as various private commissions.

I’m committed to working collaboratively and for over 30 years I have worked extensively on projects with children in schools and other settings.   I’ve worked all over the UK and abroad on a whole host of artists’ residencies and projects with many different organisations; in recent years I’ve focused on much more in-depth, longer term work which enables me to really collaborate with groups. I was artist / forest school leader in residence with Dunkirk Primary, Nottingham between 2007 and 2016 and at present am working on a long term residencies with Nethergate special school in Nottingham and with Cromford Primary School, Derbyshire where I run forest school sessions with all pupils.  I’m a member of Sherwood Printmakers, Nottingham and regularly collaborate with other members of the studio group on projects.    I’m passionate about wildlife friendly gardens, sustainability, growing food and developing spaces for people to engage with nature; for a little part of each week I work as part of a team developing projects, workshops and events at Arkwright Meadows Community Garden in Nottingham.

I did a degree in Fine Arts / Inter Arts at Bretton Hall (in the grounds of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park) many years ago and have been working as an artist / project facilitator ever since.  I’m deeply inspired by the ethos of the Reggio Emilia schools in Italy and have attended in-depth study visits there.   I trained to be a Forest School Leader about 12 years ago and really adore how this practice sits alongside my work as an artist.  I’m frequently to be found in the woods at dawn photographing the light through the trees or tending my own wildlife friendly garden in Derbyshire.

Lots more images and information about my work and collaborative projects are found on my website, blog and facebook page:

Website: storiesunderstones.weebly.com      

Facebook:  Stories-under-stones-Claire-Simpson

Instagram:  clairesimpsonstoriesunderstone