Check out our fabulous folk art October window installation by Daddy Street Fox.
It was believed that a spirit lived within the fields of grain and as the last sheaf was cut in the harvest a corn dolly would be made to hold this spirit and keep it safe over the winter months. The doll was hung inside the dry warm home and then in the following Spring it was either buried, burned or the seed taken from it to sow back into the land to begin the cycle again... sow, grow, reap, create, return to the earth and so on. These corn dolls varied greatly, from simple plaits of wheat or rye stems, to traditional corn husk dolls, to large elaborate harvest trophies.
My name is Tom Lewis and I am a Hackney based artist who works with materials I collect from nature such as leaves, tree bark, dried flowers, seed pods etc. I come from a background in fashion and costume but in recent years I have been exploring and teaching myself the endangered heritage craft of wheat weaving, straw work and corn husk doll making. I am greatly inspired by folklore traditions, urban wildlife, the pagan wheel of the year and the changing seasons. As a child I have memories of always coming home with my pockets full of found objects, treasures from nature, with the intention of making something to keep, a token of each season that passed with a particular love of the autumn, a tradition I carry on with today.
The cycle of life, death and renewal through the changing seasons brings me hope and reassurance. Using my hands to create offers me a distraction from anxiety and worries, weaving in particular is a soothing rhythmic and meditative process. I have noticed that periods where I haven't been creative I have a strong feeling of being in-complete, that something is missing, it's an essential part of my wellbeing. Throughout my life my art has always brought me a therapeutic way to deal with depression and long term health issues.
Art has also been a wonderful way for me to reconnect with the LGBTQ+ community by taking part in queer markets and art events where I have found my tribe and my chosen family who have given me much love, support and confidence to find my identity. I'm very excited to start teaching workshops this autumn and to pass on this forgotten craft.