In May 2010 I was artist-in-residence at ACS International School, Cobham. During that time I worked collaboratively on a project with pupils of all ages throughout the school, casting paper and colouring it with traces of material from the local landscape. We found pollen, mud, pine needles and ash from Eyjafjallajokull, the Icelandic volcano which had just erupted grounding planes across Europe and North America. Each pupil made individual pieces and also contributed to communal art-work which included sculptural book-forms and wall panels.

‘Trace’, detail. Handmade paper

‘Trace’, detail. Handmade paper

One of the installed panels, ‘Trace’.

Above left and right, Trace, 2010 detail. Handmade paper, pollen, mud, pine needles and ash. Right, Trace, 2010 wall panel 2 x 2m Handmade paper, pollen, mud, pine needles and ash.