For almost two years, Plymouth-based community interest company the Conscious Sisters CIC have been running a series of free Being Well in the Woods community workshops in collaboration with Tulgey Woods Sanctuary CIC in Compton.
One of the most recent sessions at Tulgey Woods CIC has unveiled the creation of a large-scale willow statue in the shape of a female form to honour Mother Nature and has been named ‘Devonia’.
Funded by the Rank Foundation and in collaboration with Livewell Southwest, Being Well in the Woods workshops have encouraged people from all walks of life, as well as those at risk of social isolation, the chance to meet for weekly art and nature immersion sessions.
Image credits: Katty Bray Art and Photography
Karen Evans, co-founder of the Conscious Sisters CIC, says of the willow statue:
“She (the statue) started small back in September 2024 as a ‘spirit of the harvest figure’ and took several months longer than we had planned to create.
“We then held a Wassail in January this year at Tulgey Woods and the figure evolved into symbolising the spirit of wassailing – the centuries old English tradition of singing and dancing in celebration of orchards and having a good harvest.
“Once the willow statue was completed, workshop participants decided the figure was to be named Devonia giving her a local name to connect us with our region.”
According to The Woodland Trust, woods and trees can improve health and wellbeing in many ways, including reducing stress, improving mood, and boosting the immune system. The positive effect that being in the woods every Friday is having on them, combined with the process of creating the Devonia willow sculpture, has been acknowledged by group members.
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The figure Devonia which is made from local willow is standing near the Tulgey Woods meeting area, which historically used to be a willow field grown for making baskets, when the area was a farm.
It is now a nature reserve, and it is hoped the sculpture will be a nesting place for birds.
