Hamadryad: Oak

The hamadryad is a nymph so closely linked with the tree she inhabits that should it die, she dies also.

Like other shy, wild creatures, they can sometimes be spotted in the woods, caught in the fleeting moment between awareness and flight.

Hamadryad: Oak was the first piece I made having uncovered (if that’s the right word) the theme that currently entrances me: folklore and faery tale. It was the first time I accepted that it was okay to work in a pictorial, illustrative way in the medium of textiles. (Much modern textile art tends to be heavily influenced by the abstract.) It was a departure from my past work of contemporary, but traditionally inspired, patchwork quilts, and once I started down this path, I knew I’d found something that would occupy me for a very long time.

This oak nymph is still my favourite girl – as you can guess by her appearance in the header of the site. Although I was trying out completely new techniques with her, and there are things I would do differently were I to make her again now, I feel happy that I was at least able to convey some of the mystery and beauty of a wild creature when you surprise it in the woods. There is that magical moment when it becomes aware of you and pauses, just for an instant, before fleeing for the safety of the undergrowth.

She is intended to be the first in a series of four, one for each of the seasons. Oak is for autumn – her hair and the leaves of her tree have just begun to turn as the weather cools. Still to follow are Hazel for spring, Willow for summer, and Holly for winter. All four will be the same size and orientation.

Hamadryad: Oak is 18″ x 52″ and has been exhibited in: