“ After the storm’, was created as part of a current artist journey to explore some of nature’s less obvious source materials and the huge creative possibilities they can offer. 
 Inspired by the poke bonnets of the early 19th century, the hat is constructed from foraged plant materials gathered mainly from the woods, where I live. 
The scale like surface is made from over 3000 individually stitched Fur-cone ‘scales’ from a Noble Fur tree, that were collected from the forest floor, after storm Éowyn in January 2025. The lichen lining the brim was taken from fallen Beech tree branches that also came down in the storm. The decorative flower is whittled from a stick of coppiced hazel, and the silk bow is dyed blue, with woad that was fermented in my own pee (it doesn’t smell.... honest!). The decorative edging is plaited from Freshwater Bulrush collected from the local river. 
The foundation of the hat is constructed from plaited wheat straw, which I sewed together using a 150 year old machine that was designed specifically for that purpose and that I have converted to be powered by foot rather than electricity.
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