Artist’s “Peaty Patterns” showcase the wonders of Welsh quaking bogs
Welsh artist Manon Awst is a huge advocate of Welsh peatland, and her creative work reflects the immense passion and the unique perspective she has for the habitat that we’re working so hard to restore and to help people understand and value.
Manon, recipient of the Future Wales Fellowship awarded by Arts Council of Wales and Natural Resources Wales has already created a number of impressive installations and performative pieces to communicate the many attributes and functions of Welsh peatland and her affinity for them.
Her “peaty” work, which began on the Anglesey and Llyn fens of North Wales ( Natural Resources Wales / Art and science combine to highlight the importance of peatlands) and was showcased at the National Eisteddfod at Boduan, has now shifted its focus onto quaking bog and transition mire landscapes – habitats being restored by the LIFEquake project hosted by NRW and delivered in partnership with National Trust, Pembrokeshire and Eryri National Park Authorities. Natural Resources Wales / LIFE Quaking Bogs
LIFEquake have been working closely with Manon to give her access to some of the harder-to-reach parts of Wales’ quaking bogs – most notably the project sites of Cors Gyfelog near Manon’s home town of Caernarfon and Crymlyn Bog on the outskirts of Swansea.
In January, Manon visited Crymlyn to record an episode of the ‘Why Women Grow’ podcast where she led Alice Vincent and her production crew around the National Nature Reserve and gifted an immersive, emotive and deeply personal account of why she feels so connected to these ancient landscapes.
Through her descriptive poetry and deep understanding of the ecology of these wetland worlds, Manon paints a clear picture of both the history and the potential future locked within Welsh peat.
Recognising how peatland restoration signifies such an important response to both climate and nature emergencies, Manon’s forthcoming work titled “Peaty Patterns” is set to evoke a significant response of its own among what is a growing community of people appreciating and cheerleading the next chapters of peatlands in Wales.
Manon said: “It always feels like a privilege to be out on the bog – always different, and always unique depending on the weather and season. The Future Wales Fellowship has allowed me to dig deep into the peaty patterns at these sites and has led me to question how I can become peat-compatible, and what materials are peat-compatible for my sculptural work. I’m excited about where this could lead in terms of my future engagement with peatland restoration. I’d like to thank NRW staff and the LIFEquake team for being so supportive of my creative work and research, and I hope the fruitful collaboration can continue.”
Mark Bond, LIFEquake’s communication and engagement officer said: “It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to link our project work and Manon’s creativity together. Manon’s love of these landscapes is undeniable and her overwhelming desire to immerse herself and others in them is truly inspiring. Her mastery of both English and her native Welsh vocabulary really does transport the listener into the deepest parts of the bogs that are not easy for most to access…her determination to place herself out there quite literally in the bog creates visually stunning, impactful and memorable images. We’re so happy to have made this connection with Manon and delighted we’re able to support her as she forges her own connection with Welsh peatland.”
Listen to the ‘Why Women Grow’ podcast here: Manon Awst on being peat compatible
Find out more about Manon’s work here: Peaty Patterns - Manon Awst
X: @manonawst @celfcymru
Insta: @manon_awst @celfcymru @alicevincentwrites @indiahobson
Follow the latest peatland restoration work from LIFEquake on the project social media channels @LIFE Quaking Bogs.