Natural Thread - A joint mixed media exhibition
Tuesday 16th June - Sunday 21st June 2026
The Setting gallery and Plot café, Three Storeys, Old Bristol Rd, Nailsworth, GL6 0JE
A group of 7 South West artists who have known each other for over twenty years come together to present “Natural Thread”, an exhibition of work inspired by trees, eroded surfaces, insects and the land; they use a range of materials and techniques - print, photography, mixed media, textiles, and stitch - to express what they see & feel about the world around them
Carole Watson
Carole’s most recent work has been influenced by her visits to the local boatyard. Noticing the fine detail of the effects of the elements, time and nature on the abandoned boats, and attempting to capture this by using a variety of techniques, mixed media, found objects, fabric, stitch and thread.
Jenn Hutchins
Time spent looking, collecting and drawing in local open spaces have given Jenn colours, marks and textures to work with. Using print, appliqué and stitch, she has developed pieces in two and three dimensions.
Carla Mines
‘I have reimagined Adam as the first guardian of the oceans. He interprets his role as a sacred duty of stewardship, an example of environmental ethics for his descendants.
As the world falls into the chaos of war, famine and drought, it is recognised that the survival of the seas is inextricably linked to the survival of mankind.’
Liz Brooke-Ward
‘My inspiration comes from the natural world, discovering the beauty of closely observed organisms and portraying these in fabric and stitch, which is my passion.
I’m particularly interested in pattern and form in nature.
It’s important to me that I reuse textiles where possible, repurposing them with dye, paint, print and stitch to create new pieces of work.
Writing and poetry often play a part in the process both as an inspiration and with text as a design tool.
I hope people are intrigued by the subject and process when they view my work and are encouraged to celebrate the wonder of nature in their own way.’
Ronnie Broadley
‘I have been working with linen and earth pigments, to try to recreate the atmosphere brought by weather conditions in big empty spaces, such as my local beach. It is amazing when winter and summer storms descend on to the land. Another big space that I like to use is inland on the Somerset levels.
Mainly linen and cotton threads are used with simple, hand stitch.’
Liz Hewitt
‘My work stitches together the quiet resilience and delicate transience of the natural world, with a focus on the unseen relationship between trees and mankind; and the belief that we should live in harmony with nature. As a textile artist and book maker, I am guided by the forms, colours, and textures of trees—their branching lines, their scars, the seasonal changes and their quiet strength that can soothe, inspire and sustain us, both physically and spiritually.
Each piece begins with gathering leaves, bark, and earth pigments collected from my surroundings which become both material and memory. Through natural dyeing, stitching, and binding, these elements are transformed into tactile records of place and time.
The exhibition theme, Natural Thread, speaks to the physical and emotional connections that bind us to the environment. I view every thread as a living line—linking human hand to the natural world. My practice is grounded in slowness and attention, echoing the rhythms of growth and decay that shape both fabric and woodland.
In each work, fragility is not a weakness but an essential truth: a reminder of interdependence, impermanence, and care. Through cloth and paper, I seek to honour the quiet voice of nature—asking how we might live and create in ways that repair rather than consume, and listen rather than take.’
Dominic Hewitt
Dominic’s work traces the quiet, persistent dialogue between trees and humanity.
‘As a photographer and printmaker, I follow the natural thread that weaves through bark, branch, shadow, and season—an unbroken line connecting growth, memory, and place. Each image begins with close attention to the living forms around me, then unfolds through processes that echo nature’s own rhythms: layering, erosion, repetition, rebirth and finally decay. I’m drawn to the way trees hold stories in their bodies, and my images seek to reflect those narratives. These pieces invite viewers to slow down, look closely, and feel the subtle connections that bind us to the natural world.’