Flora Gregory
As a socially engaged artist, I look at the human-nature relationship and at our increasing dislocation as we become urbanised, and the role of the imagination and story telling in transformation.
As an artist-maker, I am attracted to found objects. I am drawn to organic materials such as sheep wool, Jurassic limestone, hay and straw, the fabric of the Cotswolds. I also work with everyday objects, sometimes things which are taken for granted. I am doing a series, Second Life, using discarded metal, creating ‘metallic skins’ which respond to the light and wind.
Socially Engaged Work:
‘Nature Rights’ (2018-ongoing) is a collaboration with Natalie Koffman (Gregory and Koffman). It is an invitation to explore the human relationship with nature through time, discuss whether nature should have rights and how this would affect us in our daily lives, and what the world would be like if we recognised the rights of nature.
'The Map Room: What Do You Wish for the Wychwood Forest ?' (2023) was held at the Wychwood Forest Fair, people shared their answers on a board for others to see.
'The Map Room: What's Your Favourite Place in the Wychwood Forest ?' (2021) was held at the Wychwood Forest Fair, people put their answers on a board to share with others.
'The Map Room: Public Rights of Way' (2019) invited the local community to mark on a map of the Wychwood Forest where they walk. The map was at Wilcote Art during Oxford Artweeks and at the Wychwood Forest Fair.
'The Map Room: Living and Working' (2018), invited people to mark on an OS map of the Wychwood Forest, where they lived and where they worked. 150 people took part. We found that few people have working connection to the land.
The ‘Map Room’ started as a three year collaboration with Nimmi Naidoo and Katie Hellon, and the project continues.
‘Do You Have a Special Relationship With An Other Than Human ?’ (2018 - ongoing ) invites a sharing of other people’s experiences, and through discussion explores our own individual Special Relationship to Nature, to An Other Than Human.
‘Come and Lie in the Hay’ (2017) is an invitation to do just that. It was held at the Wychwood Forest Fair and was the beginning of a long relationship as Artist in Residence with the Wychwood Forest Project. While lying in the hay, there is time to reflect on the loss of our relationship with the land over the last 100 years, and the loss of 97% of our wild flower meadows since WWII. Intensification of farming methods – ploughing, drainage, reseeding, and fertiliser and herbicide, has resulted in an important loss of habitat for a huge diversity of wildlife.
Other work includes 'Health and Well Being Dispensary' and ‘Join Us In Mesopotamia’.
Inspirations: Thomas Berry, Hildegarde of Bingen, Rachel Carson, Cormack Cullinan, Suzi Gablik, James Lovelock, Robert McFarlane, Maya Lin, Chief Seattle, Shelley Sacks.
Qualifications and training
2018 - MA, Social Sculpture, Oxford Brookes, Social Sculpture Prize
2010 - Bronze Casting, West Dean College, Chichester, West Sussex
2000 - BA Fine Art, Middlesex University
1995 - Open College of Arts, Camden Working Mens College, Lowes Dickinson Award
1988 - MA, Film and TV Studies, Westminster University
1977 - BSc Hons, Psychology, Reading University
Exhibitions, Events and Residencies
2024 - Oxfordshire Artweeks, Wilcote Art Studios
2023 - Wychwood Forest Fair , 'What Do You Wish for the Wychwood Forest ?'
2023 - Oxfordshire Artweeks, Wilcote Art Studios
2022 - Omved Gardens, Highgate, London N6, 'Nature Rights'
2022 - Residency, Brisons Veor
2022 - Rye Bakery , RISE, Frome, Gregory and Koffman, 'Nature Rights'
2022 - London College of Communications, Gregory and Koffman, 'Nature Rights'
2022 - Oxfordshire Artweeks, Wilcote Art Studios, Trees: in conversation.
2021 - Charlbury Memorial Hall, Oxfordshire, Gregory and Koffman, 'Nature Rights'
2021 - The Wychwood Forest Fair, The Mappists, 'The Map Room: What's Your Favourite Place in the Wychwood Forest ?
2021 - The Wychwood Project, The Mappists, The Mappists, 'Come Into The Woods: Singe Wood'
2021 - Prima Donna Festival, MEAL, Stowmarket, Suffolk, Gregory&Koffman, 'Nature Rights'
2020 - Ongoing, Artist-in-Residence, Wychwood Forest Trust
2019 - The Wychwood Forest Fair , The Mappists, 'The Map Room: Public Rights of Way 'The Map Room: Public Rights of Way'
2019 - The Priory Garden, Charlbury, 'Come Into the Woods'
2019 - Oxfordshire Artweeks, Wilcote Art Studios, The Mappists, 'The Map Room: Public Rights of Way' and ' Come Into the Woods'
2018 - Artist-in-Residence, Wychwood Forest Trust (ongoing)
2018 - Wychwood Forest Fair, The Mappists, The Map Room, Living and Working
2018 - Barracks Lane Community Garden, Oxford - 'Nature Rights'
2018 - Barracks Lane Community Garden, Oxford - 'Do You Have A Special Relationship With An Other Than Human ?
2018 - Olden Community Garden, Highbury, Islington, London - 'Nature Rights'
2018 - Oxford Green Week, at Headington Hill Hall - 'Nature Rights'
2017 - Wychwood Forest Fair, 'Come and Lie In The Hay !'
2017 - Oxfordshire Artweeks, Wilcote Art Studios
2016 - Oxfordshire Artweeks, The Bicester Sculpture Group
2015 - 'Forming', Turrill Sculpture Garden, Oxford
2015 - Oxfordshire Artweeks, The Bicester Sculpture Group
2014 - Artist-in-residence, Wattle Hill Farm, Ledwell
2004 - Out of Sight, Out of Mind, House Gallery, Camberwell, London
2003 - Annual Photographic Exhibition, Lauderdale House, Highgate
2002 - In The Kitchen Something Stirs, Stroud House Gallery
2000 - Final year show, Fine Art, Middlesex University
1996 - Royal College of Art, Open College of Arts Exhibition