Main Areas of Focus

My interests are wide-ranging, primarily in how human beings affect and are affected by the natural world of which we are part, and the related theology and psychology of connectedness.

Artist

Creating beautiful and thought-provoking art as a means of supporting care for planet and people, nurturing a sense of place, and building community

Writer

Articles and blogs on economics, environment, nature, attentiveness, applied theology, arts, and anything that interests me

Consultant

» Website development and training
» Energy efficiency and renewable energy consultancy
» Research and reporting

Latest News and Produce

What I’ve recently produced. What I’m working on. What’s in the pipeline.

News

A show and Lego

A show of the conceptual artwork produced by my 4th year medical students, and the Little colouring books of climate mindfulness in Lego.

Blog

Breaking SAD - Springwatch

Things feel bad. Spring comes, the days get longer and the weather improves. But things still feel bad. So the feeling of badness is not just because it’s winter. The feeling of badness is yours.

Article

“Springs in the Desert” for ViaMedia.News

O wilderness God, I do not ask to avoid the journey and the struggle. Only help me to trust that you are always beside me holding my hand fast in yours, even when all seems dark and dry, and that you will lead me to a place of refreshment, and blessing at the end. Amen.

Exhibition/Installation

“Live the questions now" at the Wellcome Centre, Exeter

I teach a Medical Humanities unit to fourth year students at Exeter Medical School, using conceptual art as a way in. I arranged this exhibition of the work produced by the 2018/19 cohort.

Performance/Event

"Compline: A contemplative journey through Lent" in St Martin's Church

The ancient close-of-the-day service of Compline, with plainchant and polyphony. Hosted by Margaret Aagesen Hughes (Soprano) and Clare Bryden (Alto). Featuring the music of Bach, Barber and Saint-Saëns, and musicians Ruth Molins, Sophie Brewer (Flute), Emma Welton (Violin), Catherine Bradley (Cello).

Recording

"...and the Greatest of these is Love"

In their second album, Antiphon presents world premiere recordings of three choral works by Michael Walsh: an unaccompanied Mass of the Holy Trinity; a full-scale Requiem Mass; and The Way of Love, a setting of five love poems by Rupert Brooke. We recorded it in July 2017 in the crossing and Lady Chapel in Exeter Cathedral.

Talk/Workshop

Workshop on "Slow Bible Reading"

workshop was on the ancient monastic practice of Lectio Divina, part of a Prayer & Spirituality Day at Exeter Cathedral.

Academia

“Live the questions now: control, connectedness and making conceptual art”

Giving fourth year students at Exeter Medical School an introduction to conceptual and environmental art, looking at meaning-making and how we turn ideas into art, making art.

Random Work Generator

There are a number of threads running through all my work. Here’s a random sample from each.

Attentiveness

Pilgrim at the Northbrook

I intended to spend the morning re-reading Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, but instead spent the morning reading around it. So after lunch, I allowed the sun to call me out for a walk down by my very own Tinker Creek that is the Northbrook.

Environment

Peer-reviewed Abstracts - Health

Abstracts written as part of my work at the Met Office during 2005-07 on health forecasting and anticipatory care, and accepted by peer-review for conference posters or talks.

Making

I made a trail!

When Steven Bramble suggested designing an alphabet of Heavitree Stone, I immediately thought of its potential use in an A-Z. I came across Placeify some years ago, powering Exeter University's Sculpture Tour, and the two things came together as an idea for a trail.

Place

Ludwell life

It was a happy accident that the house I bought when I moved to Exeter is very close to Ludwell Valley Park. It is my slice of countryside in the city, where I can wander down enclosed lanes, through fields of nodding purple grasses.

Play

"Particulart: Up in the Air" in the Glorious Art House

The overall aim of Particulart is to engage people with environmental and social issues and challenge the status quo through the power of knitting, science, and public art. In addition, “Up in the Air” aimed to promote public awareness and provoke reflection on climate change and the underlying science, through appealing to different ways of accessing information – words and numbers, sight and touch – and enabling playful interaction.

Public Engagement

Laying foundations with the Quarry Pod

The Heavitree quarries have been voted by the people of Heavitree as the next theme for the Heavitree Squilometre. Of course, the quarries are actually in St Loyes.

Science and Data

Solar powered data geek

On the day that the government lost its Feed-In Tariff appeal in the Court of Appeal, the guys from Sungift Solar started to install PVs on my house.

Social Justice

IT, the internet and social media: implications for spirituality and the church

On the 3rd Sunday of each month, Holy Trinity Church Exmouth runs a Hard Questions Café, where tough life questions can be explored in a frank and non-judgemental way. Here are the stories and questions I used.