Beneath Our Feet: Textile Art, Community & Contemporary Heritage In Derbyshire

Key Highlights

Why 'Beneath Our Feet' | A Quick Hello

Hello! I'm Amanda, a contemporary community textile artist right here in Derbyshire. If we haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet, consider this a big, warm welcome! Put the kettle on, get comfy, and let's spend a little time getting to know each other better.

I'm pretty new to my new Derbyshire stomping ground, having moved here via some lovely places like Lancashire, Essex, Warwickshire, and Leicestershire. For a while now, I've been keeping my head down and happily growing flax in my front garden (a bit quirky, I know, but it ties into my art.) I did consider growing hemp, but I'm not sure I'd be able to clearly explain that to my new neighbours and maintain an upstanding community presence.

After two seasons and two harvests filled with lots of learning, I'm excited to share my passion for textiles and community engagement with my neighbours.

My showing of 'Beneath Our Feet,' is the next step in this journey.

If you'd like to know more about me and my journey, I'd love for you to have a quick look at my website and other blog posts. This exhibition helps us create new friendships and share our stories right here in Riddings, Alfreton, and the wider Amber Valley.

Oh, and here's something really exciting—it's part of the VAA OpenSpaces2025.

It's important to remember that the histories and stories of ordinary people are often overlooked and neglected, even though they hold so much significance. Let's connect and make it a priority to capture these narratives for future generations. Together, we can ensure that every voice is heard and valued.

The Spark | Where The Exhibition Comes From

It all began in my garden. I planted flax after becoming fascinated by the old rope walk at Waingroves Community Woodland Trust and beginning to dig into its history. Flax and rope making used to be a significant part of Derbyshire's textile story (you must have heard about the infamous Devil's Arse), and I wanted to experience what it would be like to grow the raw material myself.

As the plants grew and flowered, I realised I wasn't just watching seeds sprout; I was watching threads of history come alive in front of me.

One patch of flax led to a bigger idea. What if I could weave these fibres, our stories and our heritage into one large piece of work? Something that doesn't just sit on a wall, but invites people to take part and add their own layer of meaning. That's when Beneath Our Feet really started to grow.

About The Piece | What You Will See

Beneath Our Feet is a textile installation (a fancy name for a piece, but with a bit more to it, as I'm asking you to take part.) All sorts of things have been stitched and stuck onto the old blanket and ironing board base. You will see the plants and fibres grown in my Riddings garden, collaged with found and given ephemera, community, words, feelings and memories. The layout is intentionally designed to follow the shape of a portable shrine. Something I could take with me and work on while I travelled; I wanted to be genuinely grateful for each day I was having, and building the shrine reminded me to do this.

I enjoy using found and repurposed materials (it's not uncommon to see me rummaging through bins and skips), and I work with creative vulnerability in mind, which I often write about on my blog. It's my belief that you have to earn the right to be a community artist by being prepared to do the things that you might ask others to do with you (derived from being a qualified psychotherapist and creative therapist, too.

So, If You Come To See The Piece (And I Hope You Do), Look For:

• Flax plants and fibres from my garden, harvested and processed by hand

• Pathways that echo a shrine

• Found and repurposed materials chosen for meaning and care

• Hand stitching and mixed media details that hold shared words and memories

• Quieter areas of plain cloth beside dense areas of story

I've added a key to the display at The Pottery so you can read a little more about the various objects that make up the artwork. All of these bits encourage you to have a little think about the story of your year; we do so much that we forget or go unnoticed.

Why It Matters

This piece is about connection to ourselves, place and to each other. It brings together local heritage, everyday materials and stories. The aim is not perfection, it is honesty and care, offered in a space where everyone is welcome.

Community At The Heart | How People Can Take Part

This exhibition is made with you in mind. You don't need any art experience; just curiosity. Come as you are, take a breath, and add a little piece of your own story to the work (don't worry, you won't have to make anything!):

• Sit with the piece and notice what 'beneath our feet' means to you, your story or the history of people that you know

  
  

• Share a word, a memory or a short story in the book at The Pottery, or add your thoughts through the QR code if you prefer to use your phone

  
  

• Do you have any flax-related photos or treasures? Bring them with you if you like, or let us know if we can capture them for the records

  
  

• If you cannot visit, send your story through the Share Your Story form

  
  

Everyone is welcome. The venue is step-free and seating is available if you would like time to sit and reflect. You can add your story with your name or anonymously. With your permission, stories may be woven into the piece or shared in future community updates so others can read and feel connected too.

Threads Of Heritage | Why Place Matters

Derbyshire has always been shaped by what is under the ground. Flax fields once rippled in the breeze, coal mines reached deep below, and whole communities grew around what the land gave. Those layers of industry, resilience and memory are stitched into Beneath Our Feet.

Each fibre in the work carries echoes of the past and asks questions about today. What does it mean to belong here? How do we care for the land we walk on? How can shared ground remind us of what connects us rather than what divides us?

This exhibition is not only an artwork; it is a simple way to start the conversations we need in our villages, towns and communities. If heritage, place and creativity interest you, you can explore more on the Projects Overview Page.

My Practice | What I Bring To This Work

At the heart of what I do is a genuine passion for co-curation, care, and really listening to people. I genuinely believe that textiles carry memories and meanings that numbers simply can't express. Each piece of cloth, every thread, and fibre may seem ordinary, but they hold powerful stories waiting to be discovered.

Think about the flax grown in my garden at Riddings or the pieces crafted in a community workshop. These aren't just materials; they're made with love and purpose, created for and with people. I aim to keep things straightforward, focusing on kindness, resourcefulness, and a real respect for our surroundings. This approach is at the heart of my manifesto, and projects like 'Beneath Our Feet' are a reflection of those values in practice.

If you're interested, do take a peek at my background on my CV page. It provides a glimpse into the experiences that have shaped my creative journey. I'm also involved with networks like Creative Connections, which foster collaboration among artists, communities, and researchers. There's so much we can learn from one another, and I'm excited to explore these connections and stories together.

OpenSpaces 2025 | Connecting With A Global Platform

I am also excited to be part of VAA OpenSpaces 2025, the first international exhibition organised by the Visual Artists Association. For four weeks in autumn 2025, artists worldwide will transform everyday spaces into venues for contemporary art.

From a sound piece in a community library in New York to a kitchen gallery in Melbourne, OpenSpaces turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. Only 300 venues worldwide have been chosen, and I feel lucky that Alfreton and our corner of Riddings are one of them. As a VAA Openspaces artist in 2025, I will be sharing 'Beneath Our Feet' from right here in Amber Valley with people around the world. It is proof that local heritage and community voices belong on the global stage.

Visit, Join In, Share | The Practicals

• Venue: Creative Connections The Pottery, 1 Wycliffe Road, Alfreton DE55 7HR

• Opening Event: Sunday 12 October 2025, 2–4pm

• Exhibition Continues: Sunday 12 October to Tuesday 11 November 2025

• Access: Step-free, seating available, lovely food and brews, all welcome, including dogs

• How To Take Part: Share a story, sit with the work, show your related treasures or photos, or contact me if you would like to host the piece in your venue

• Cost: Free to attend, drop in, open to all ages

Gratitude & Acknowledgements

With thanks to the community groups, contributors and partners who have helped bring this work into being, and to those who continue to share their stories and time. I am especially grateful to Waingroves Community Woodland Trust, whose rope walk and woodland heritage inspired me to explore flax, rope making, and the landscapes beneath our feet. I am also thankful for the support of Rachel, Creative Connections, CVAN East Midlands and Arts Derbyshire, who connect and promote artists across the region. And, last but not least, Flaxland for its training and mentorship.

Closing Reflection | What We Find Underfoot

When we pause and notice what lies beneath our feet, we begin to see the threads that connect us, roots in the ground, fibres in cloth, stories in place. Beneath Our Feet is my invitation to walk more gently, listen more deeply and celebrate the ground we share.

For me, it began in Riddings, where I quietly grew flax in my front garden. Two harvests later, it feels special to share that journey publicly in Alfreton as part of VAA OpenSpaces 2025. It puts Riddings, Alfreton and Amber Valley on the map in a way we can all be proud of, as part of only 300 venues worldwide.

If you are new here, welcome. You can explore more in my blog posts or on the Projects Overview Page. I would love to connect with you, whether that is through a chat at the exhibition, sharing a story, or hosting this work in your space.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Free To Attend? Yes, entry is free and everyone is welcome; the venue even accepts dogs.

Do I Need To Book? No booking is needed; you can drop in during opening times.

Where Is The Venue? Creative Connections The Pottery, 1 Wycliffe Road, Alfreton DE55 7HR. A link to the map is available in the "Plan Your Visit" button above.

Can My Group Or Organisation Host This Work? Yes, I would be glad to talk with you about hosting opportunities. Please get in touch! In fact, the more adventures the piece has, the better, as the more potential to capture stories.

Explore more of my community textile projects on the Projects Overview page.