Steeped in Stories: A Journey Through Art, Nature, and Life
Welcome to The Journal, a place filled with stories and adventures. You will find the creative processes and the stories that shape our studio alongside reflections on seasonal living and the many tangible ways to connect to nature no matter where we are. If you’ve already visited the ‘About’ page, you will have a sense of what Wild Cottage Works is. The Shop features works born out of stories moulded by the world around us and The Journal is where you will find the heart of Wild Cottage Works. Here, I will give you a closer look at that heart.
Wild Cottage Works came from a desperate need for a habitual connection to nature. Growing up in South Wales, nature has always been a constant presence which naturally gave me a bias toward more rural settings. Tree covered landscapes, rolling hills and star flooded skies filled the horizon. Even from the city centre, it didn’t take long to reach the coast or find somewhere rural or an undisturbed natural space. Whilst I enjoyed living in a city for a few years after leaving home, it did however create a yearning for that connection that was lost in the absence of nature. The shift to more grey urban horizons, along with the rushed chaos of day to day living, for me, felt overwhelming and life felt out of balance. I realised I needed to find easy ways and simple everyday routines to maintain a connection to nature as it should not be dependent on living somewhere rural or following a particular lifestyle. Though, I can’t deny, I have started to favour the life of a Hobbit.
South Wales
I have always been drawn to creating nature-inspired works from what I observed. It served as a reminder of nature and as a way of reconnecting with it when I felt its absence by bringing the outside in to the home. It served as a reminder that nature can be present in our everyday life, even if only in subtle ways. There’s a calmness and stillness that can be found looking at art and even more so when it is focused on nature. So I began with a series of drawings, curled up on the sofa, inspired by the view from my window (whilst pleading with my cat to stop sitting on and chewing the paper I was using).
Over time, my work became more observant of the changes in the seasons and landscapes which in turn led to becoming more aware of how these changes affect us. It created a deeper connection to each season that I had not experienced before and alongside, a greater appreciation for them (yes including winter, although the jury is still out on September). Something as simple as intentionally going for a blackberry picking walk along with a flask of steaming coffee was the much needed remedy for a long week. I would say using them in the kitchen for a hot crumble is great for a cold evening but somehow the full bag had been eaten by the time we arrived home.
At times the hustle and bustle of day to day life can feel disorientating and chaotic, like spinning underwater. Paying closer attention to the seasons brought steadiness and balance was restoring. I then decided to create a space that would offer something similar to those who were also wanted a regular connection to nature.
At its core, Wild Cottage Works is a quiet reminder that creativity, nature and everyday life are closely connected and that even the smallest moments outdoors can shape the way we live, create and feel at home. It isn’t about prescribing a particular or ideal way of living, but gently sharing ways to weave a connection to nature into your everyday life, wherever you are. Whether filling your spaces with items reflecting nature or foraging hedgerows, or just spending fifteen quiet minutes sitting beneath a tree.
Thank you for visiting The Journal. I hope you find something here that resonates with you and enjoy exploring all our stories as they grow.
With warmth
Halimah