Part of “The Bog Beings” series, created for an exhibition with The Peat Appreciation Society at Gibson Mill, a National Trust property nestled in the forest at the heart of Hardcastle Crags.

By studying the ecological characteristics of plants, I imagine who lives alongside them in Nature's unseen realms, communicating the indigenous worldview that Nature is animated by spirit. “The Bog Beings” is inspired by moorland restoration work and the "personalities" of the plant community.

Sphagnum, also known as bog moss, is an incredible organism which lives in wet, nutrient-poor conditions in often upland areas. It can hold up to 26 times its weight in water and produces an acid, creating conditions for slow decomposition and accumulation of organic matter, forming peat and storing carbon.

Here, Sphagnum, the elder of the moorland plant community, brews peat from pickled plant remains.

Fine liner and watercolour.