Dear Reader,

You might be here because you recently visited 'Vessel' at The Arnolfini in Bristol, or the Freerange Showcase at The Truman Brewery in London. 'Almanac' exhibited here alongside my peers.

If so, I've heard from a few people that they would have enjoyed more text, to give a deeper insight into the work mounted on the walls. To do this I thought I would share the opening letter to the accompanying photobook 'Almanac: Preface'.

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Dear Reader,

You are holding Almanac’s first volume. As the ‘Preface’, it marks the beginning of a lifelong devotion to moving with time and rippling with the seasons.

We are surrounded by traditions, customs and folklore. Ingrained deeply enough to pass through unnoticed, and often left undocumented. Only known through the exchange of words and whispers, changing in meaning as they travel over the land and through time. There is importance and beauty to documenting the existence of these disappearing cultural practices, although admittedly it is a shame to lose the magic of the intangible, which is protected by being unwritten.

This volume carries depictions of folk songs learned from others, and scanned curiosities from the garden that held me close growing up. Now I have begun to look after the garden in return, and it gifts these objects that I cherish. The folk songs are recorded using pinhole cameras that I built using found pottery. One of my favourites is a well-loved biscuit dish shaped like a cottage.

I hope you treasure this work, and stay with me as I feel for the threads of folklore woven into our lives.

Natalie

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You can find more narration in the captions of my images on instagram, which tend to be more up to date if you don't mind an occasional ramble.