Rituals for Earthly Survival Ritual II

We are the Children of the Compost. Journey into our forest of light, sound and movement; and imagine new ways of living and dying together.
Step quietly. This is a space of listening—where the dead speak, the earth breathes, and kin emerge from the ruins of what was. You may be invited to witness, to remember, to grieve. You may find yourself dancing.
This is no linear story, but a weaving of sensations, gestures, and fragments—an ecology of feeling made visible.
The forest changes as you move through it. Lights flicker like thought. Voices echo like memory. Time bends. You are not alone.
This immersive ritual invites you to pause, reflect, and wonder: what does it mean to stay with the trouble? To compost the past? To care for each other in uncertain times?
Come with open senses. Leave with questions.
We’ll be waiting.

Jules A Sykes

As a painter my practice may appear at first glance to engage the ancient technologies of mark making and colour deployment. However, my work represents a unique fusion of old and new technologies – one that adapts and adopts new technology to inform the age-old process of applying media to a surface; I make use of redundant communication technologies and languages, employing visual and other media – digital images, photogcopying, scanning and collage to realise images. The image is retrieved and reused, separated from its original context and meaning and combined with adapting/using contemporary technology as a layer or screen, annotated with my own hand.

Josephine Butler

I am a mixed media artist and currently specialise in plaster relief casting. I make botanical & coastal 3D relief panels and 3D hand & feet casts. I use the mediums of paint, clay, wax and plaster in my creative process.

Plaster relief is an artform in which life and nature can be captured in time and preserved. Frailty, strength and resilience can be encapsulated and represented so well in this medium.

I fell in love with this artform because of the time, process, detail and sensory elements required in creating each unique piece.

Sharon

My work has emerged out of a lifetime of filling small sketchbooks with scribbles and doodles. Sometimes they grow out of geometrical shapes, and at others, it is more a stream of consciousness thing, with complex patterns emerging instinctively. Sometimes it begins with a deliberate intent and at others, it is a purely random effort. It is a hugely mindful process.
Recently, I started experimenting with fabric, creating and embroidering intricate patterns with tiny stitches, occasionally using glass beads (I do love a bit of sparkle!). I also enjoy experimenting with 3D origami, building mobiles, decorations and garlands.

Sally

As an artist, I'm drawn to the brief nature of beauty and the quiet stories held within decaying forms. My journey into creating art with dried flowers began with a desire to capture a moment in time, to preserve the delicate intricacies of nature long after its vibrant bloom. I find immense satisfaction in transforming something seemingly discarded into a piece that evokes reflection and wonder.

My interest lies in exploring the tension between life and stillness, fragility and resilience. Each dried petal and stem, with its unique texture and faded hue, becomes a brushstroke in my installations and sculptures. I'm drawn to how these materials, once full of life, now carry a different kind of presence – a silent testament to cycles of growth, decline, and transformation. This practice allows me to contemplate themes of memory, loss, and the enduring power of natural forms.

Jennie

Art has always been part of my journey in life giving me the power and strength to develop a career focused on supporting, inspiring and empowering others. My artwork explores passion and emotion through the expressive medium of acrylic. I use bold and vivid colour palettes, layered textured brushwork, and dynamic compositions to capture moments of energy, introspection, and connection often depicting fantasy landscapes and alien worlds. Acrylic’s versatility allows me to experiment with both abstraction and realism, creating pieces that evoke feelings and invite reflection.

Lilya

Hi! I am a local neurodivergent and disabled textile artist who uses a mixture of photography, hand embroidery and drawing materials to
highlight both the brilliance and the struggles of various neurodivergent conditions and mental health issues. My work is an act of defiance against the mainstream views of society - the stereotypes and apathy shown towards neurodivergent and disabled individuals who are often unheard, pitied or villainised.

Sharon

I am a contemporary Studio Jeweller designing unique one off and limited-edition pieces. As well as wearable pieces I make small metal works such as spoons, boxes and other items. Using mainly precious metals and semi-precious stones I am currently exploring copper, brass and other materials, a lot of these are recycled or repurposed.
Inspiration comes from many things, patterns, textures, organic, manufactured and historic. My work is eclectic and varied I aim for my jewellery to be elegant, individual and something the owner will cherish.
As the Southsea Workbench I formally worked and taught until 2022 out of a Studio/workshop in Southsea. Committed to the area where I have lived and worked, I am still teaching regular and one day classes in association with Making Space in Havant. While I continue to enjoy designing, creating and inspiring others to do the same.

Lou

Hello, my name is Lou Hamer, I use layers of my own gelli plate prints, collage, and stencilling to make my one off pieces of art.


Art is my creative outlet and therapy. I love how the layering can result in the unexpected , I go on a unique creative journey with every one I make.

I make many of my own masks, ("windows " as I call them)to allow you to see through to the smaller details found in the layers in my work. I embrace imperfections, (making my work a bit grungy)

Denise

I am driven by the sense of well-being that comes from being in nature aligning with finding myself absorbed in making art. Both encourage a wholeness of spirit joining mind, body and soul in experiencing and creating. Art makes me whole.
Many of my pieces begin life as a snapshot taken while I am out and about; it is then my job to translate that onto canvas. This can be a bit of a battle at times but trusting my own creative instincts is gradually becoming more fluid.
I love to accentuate colours and have brushstrokes that create life and movement as well as feelings of nostalgia, which I am exploring currently.
I am excited to take part in POSE25 to share my work and hopefully the positive energy that fires my passion for art.

Donna

I design and handcraft characters of all sizes. My work is inspired by nature, folklore, myths and legends and stories from my childhood.
I have a passion for the natural world and creating magical characters which are loved by adults and children alike.

Cat

Hi, I’m Cat. A. I’m a text based artist. I make t-shirts, banners, flags and paint random objects with humorous slogans or stories from my personal life. I use overhead conversations or just things my friends say to me down the pub. I’m a professional eavesdropper. If you say something powerful or especially hilarious, I’ll probably turn it into a t-shirt.
I express concerns in my own life in a very direct way through my work. I’ve explored modern dating through “Reasons Not to Call Him” which are illustrations collected into a book. I’ve made childish digs at politicians, people's fear of scented candles and ex-boyfriends. It’s all a personal form of activism and visual therapy.
I enjoy using discarded items and find materials in people’s cupboards or in charity shops. I hand paint my shouty, sweary dialect in freeform caps. I love posca pens and acrylic paint.

Mary-Anne

I have always been interested in arts and crafts, and have tried my hand at many things using multi media. At the moment I am focusing on designing and making decorative mosaic pieces including coasters, birds, boats and plant pots. I scour charity shops and car boots for vintage porcelain, ideally things that are damaged. But sometimes a perfect piece is irresistible and I just have to have it! My daughter assures me that I am not destroying something but giving it a new life in a different form.

I have been making fun colourful jewellery for many years, using different materials and methods. At the moment I am concentrating on designing and hand painting wooden beads to make unusual pieces, mostly necklaces and earrings.

Alec

I have always felt a strong affinity to clay vessels and I see myself in the tradition of making pots not ceramic pieces. Most of my work is influenced by Asian pottery, especially that of Korea and Japan. My work has bold and simple lines and is designed to be held displayed and used.

Nigel

As a photographer I am fascinated by light. In my transition from photographer to printmaker I explore this further through the cyanotype process which creates monochrome prints using chemicals and UV light. I coat sheets of paper with a chemical solution including iron salts, create negatives on clear film, and print by using a UV exposure unit. The prints are then developed in water which is when the magical blue appears. With time the colour deepens to the final almost Prussian blue which the process is associated with.
The photographic images lose some of the detail and sharpness which we associate with modern high resolution digital cameras. Instead through a combination of lucky accidents, brush marks and the chemical process each print produced will have slight variations. Thus, we arrive at individual and unique printed images which, to paraphrase Henry Ford, come in any colour as long as its blue!

Charlotte

Over 25 years ago, I began my jewellery design business from my home studio on Hayling Island. After studying 3D Design at Portsmouth Art College & travelling the UK within the jewellery industry, I grew a vision to make bespoke jewellery design more welcoming and accessible. I started specialising in individually designed, handmade pieces for people who want a more personal creative experience. Later developing my own distinctive collections inspired by my coastal environment - including my signature “Bubble” range.

Now 10 years at our Marmion Road Boutique Workshop in Southsea, our talented Goldsmiths take pride in each piece being handmade with artistry, skill and care. We make custom designs, remodel much loved inherited jewellery into new creations and have a stunning range of Ready-To-Wear jewellery on display.

Myself and our award winning team are passionate about bringing you “Jewellery for Life” in Portsmouth.