The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Project of Process to mark pandemic
An East Neuk artist has been commissioned to deliver a project marking the Covid 19 pandemic.
Katie Fowlie, an art specialist and educator, was selected for Remembering Together Fife to create something collaboratively with communities in Fife.
The project, named Process, is currently running free workshops across the kingdom where participants will explore floriography – the language associated with plants – to express emotions and create art using plantbased materials.
The workshops come about after 18 months of engagement with communities across Fife, listening to individuals’ unique experiences from this challenging time.
Katie said: “Many ideas were offered during the initial engagement phase, and areas of overlap started to emerge.
“Most participants noted a decline in their mental health, their selfconfidence, and feelings of isolation.
“People shared how important the daily permitted hour outdoors became to their wellbeing.
“But also, how this habit was so quickly abandoned as life started to return to normal.
“They were keen to create something collectively which celebrated Fife’s varied landscapes while encouraging healthy habits such as slowing down and reinstating regular time spent outdoors – all in a way which enabled reflection and a chance to process how our lives changed.”
Following this period of co-creation, Katie will create a bespoke publication called Process that will be gifted to organisations across Fife and will be free to access online.
It will be made up of images, reflections, words, and fragments that offers
“how-to” details to undertake further exploration.
Katie is continuing to host free community workshops during the coming months.
Drop-in events are being hosted by Kellie Castle on May 18 and 25, The Larick Centre on May 20 and 27 and June 3.
Bookable workshops take place in Buckhaven on April 19, Leven on April 25 and Methil on May 4.
Katie will also be collaborating with Jayson Byles from East Neuk Seaweed to offer cooking demonstrations and create botanical inks from foraged finds.
Fife Coast and Countryside Trust are facilitating Remembering Together Fife.
Free workshop places can be booked at fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk/ events/