AILSA MAIR

Annwyl pawb 𖣔 Dear all, I thought it about time to do a (re)introduction post for those newer folx around these parts… Croeso. Welcome. 𝑫𝒚𝒎𝒂 𝒇𝒊. Here’s a little nutshell glimpse of (some) aspects of me and my work - which my ever-evolving and multi-faceted creative self resists capturing in such a way! I’m starting this year in a quest for more authenticity, less perfection, more courage to be who I am and share it with the world. Is social media the world? No, but I deeply value all the meaningful connections I make here, so please do let me know if what I offer means something or sparks something in you, as this brings me great joy. Diolch o galon ༄ heartfelt Thanks Ailsa ミ✫彡 𝑳𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒂𝒖 / 𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔: 1 - 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒌, Hodsock Priory 2 - @peterstevensoncelf Aberystwyth 3 - at Schumacher College - diolch JJ 4 - @cletwr 5 - @starofthesea_borth 6 - Cuncumen 7 - @pippascarll 8 - @ciaramadira gyda @worldwidewelshman , Machynlleth 9 - @millyjackdaw88 , Moel y Llyn 10 - @red.school , Hawkwood retreat centre 11 - Coed Taliesin 12 - @willo_wildehart , Coed Cwm Cletwr 13 - Tre Taliesin (Tir Canol residency) #singersongwriter #singercellist #originalsong #soundartist #wales

CYMRAEG - English see below. Cyhoeddiad! Wythnos Straeon Cenedlaethol! Mae'r Ragged Storytelling Collective yn gyffrous i cyhoeddiad ein bod ni'n dechrau gweithio ar ddatblygu sioe newydd - Cân y Dŵr – Song of Water. Dros y tri mis nesaf byddwn yn archwilio themâu myth a chwedl sy'n plethu drwy ein afonydd Cymru. Ac sydd yn chwilio hanes cymhleth eu defnydd a'u camddefnydd ar gyfer diwydiant, teithio, masnach a phŵer. Bydd y prosiect yn arbrawf newydd, gyda Kestrel a Heulwen, a bydd gantores, cyfansoddwraig a'r sielyddl Ailsa Mair Fox yn ymuno efo’r dwy. Hefid bydd arlunydd Libby Bove yn creu pypedau ar gyfer set y sioe, a bydd dramaturgi gan Michael Harvey. Mae'r sioe yn cael ei chefnogaeth a partneriaeth gan People's Speak Up yn Llanelli. Mae hyn i gyd wedi bod yn bosibl unwaith eto diolch i Y Loteri Genedlaethol a y Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru. A diolch hefid i Naomi Wilds ac Alex Etchart a ddysgodd i mi (Kes) sut i ysgrifennu ceisiadau llwyddiannus am gyllid. ENGLISH National Storytelling week announcement! The Ragged Storytelling Collective are excited to reveal that we're beginning work developing a new show - Cân y Dŵr – Song of Water. Over the next three months we'll be exploring the threads of myth and legend that weave through our Welsh rivers, and the complex history of their use and abuse for industry, travel, trade and power. The project will be a new experiment, with Kestrel @kes_bootprints and Heulwen @eiliomusic joined by the amazing singer, songwriter and cellist Ailsa Mair Fox @ailsamairsong , beautiful puppet-effigies created by contemporary folk artist Libby Bove @libby.bove.arts , dramaturgy from the acclaimed Michael Harvey @michaelharveystoryteller , and partnership support from People's Speak Up in Llanelli @peoplespeakup . This is once again all made possible thanks to Arts Council Wales national lottery funding, and with continued thanks to Naomi Wilds @naomiwilds and Alex Etchart @alexetchart who taught me (Kes) how to write successful funding bids. Watch this space! Xx Photo credits Kirsten Mcternan @kirstenmcternanphotography Leonie Freeman @ Leoniefreemanphoto

What a great audience at Llanover Hall last night! More tears, more laughter, more promises made to the waters. Next performance @ashseedconfest next Friday, if you like the idea of an intimate gathering of storytelling, music, ritual and workshops in a beautiful rural barn then check it out! Thanks @jodybuttle for the photos! Thanks @cardiffstorycircle for hosting us!

Glorious Afon Gwy - it was so magical reconnecting with the Wye River at Calan Mai / Beltane to share our brand new @ragged_storytelling_collective show Cân y Dŵr at the wonderful @wyevalleyriverfestival . I grew up in Monmouth alongside the Wye and have always been in love with her and the stunning wildlife she nurtures, even though the river has been polluted to extremes over the years. (I think this was actually my first ever gig returning to my hometown since leaving school many moons ago!) Here are a few highlights from the riverside - incredible cloud reflections (which I photographed whilst sitting watching a kingfisher diving for food off a low branch to the left), a young deer who hung out with us for ages in a clearing whilst we picnicked (photographed by my dad) a snap from our show featuring the beautiful puppet-river-effigies crafted by @libby.bove.arts , and me and my love by some hawthorn where we stayed in a little sleeping pod right by the river (which is not rented out over the winter months due to the riverbank sometimes being flooded many metres above head height!). It feels like a real honour to be collaborating on a show explicitly with and for our rivers, which so need our attention right now. We are performing Cân y Dŵr tonight in Llanover Hall, Cardiff at 7pm (see previous post for ticket info) at @cardiffstorycircle . It would be great to see any of you there. (Gwran)dewch! 🌀💜🌀 Pics 2&3 - diolch i / thanks to Steve Hughes @abervilla x #riverwye #afongwy #water #dwr #wildlife

Cân y Dŵr official poster drop! We can't wait to see this on paper at those venues that still use print advertising. Next stop Llanover Hall!

@ashseedconfest is revealing itself to be such a deep and intimate fireside gathering with soul, 10 days to go… join us! And if you need time to pay please contact us to see what’s possible. May all be ease full ❤️🔥🌱🙏🏻 @journeywithdeath @ailsamairsong @gatherings.with.heart @deadgoodlegacies @liesverswijvel #grief #ashseedconfest #griefgathering #griefritual #lostrites

Reminder! We're performing in Cardiff at Llanover Hall next Thursday! Check the link in our bio for seats! Book in advance to avoid disappointment and make us feel excited to know you're coming!

I have always been drawn to polytunnels as spaces for transformation, reimagining them as performance and exhibition environments. Over the past decade, across multiple projects, I’ve explored this in practice: turning polytunnels into cinemas, spaces for shared feasting, and unexpected spa-like environments. This is an ongoing strand of my artistic work, rooted in rural space, collective experience, and ecological imagination. It's part of ongoing way of working that uses space for change. At times this has included working on farms in swimwear. I am pre-emptively apologising to my local village for this, especially as when LPIP and Ein Cegin CIC arrive I may still be dressed for the community banquet in a bikini. This links to wider work supporting the community hall and local community, which I actively champion, alongside supporting my friend Trish who works so hard on leading that work and holding it. A separate project, photographed by Hannah, explored “ladies who lunch” in connection with nature. Led by Joanna Bond as part of the Inseparability of Nature project, it was non-hierarchical, joyful, and deeply collaborative. I am interested in developing an edge-space dialogue with Joanna’s practice. I still think fondly of her lettuce hat. @millyjackdaw88 @ruthhoggartist @ailsamairsong — I love working with you. We are cross-pollinators, moving through hedgerows, making joy, making community. Photo by Hannah Unearthing care. Shaping change.

A little reel we forgot to share - This is the weaving of our set circle - three threads for the three sisters. This was a little project that ended up being way longer than we expected - a 1hr estimate became a 4hr+ job and the following day my (Kestrel) leg was killing me after 4 hours of repetitive squatting on the same leg in order to drop and pick up the threads. We tied rags to it, to try to create the impression of a tideline - BUT - that gave us a really cool idea which we worked into the show! The tradition of rag or clootie wells involves dipping a rag in a healing well and tying it to a nearby tree as a spell for healing, because of this we end the show by inviting the audience to dip rags in the water of their local river and tie it to our set while making a promise to the rivers. Through this we hope audiences can find a way to place themselves within the story and use it as a springboard for personal action. There are a few remaining rag wells still dotted about the country to this day but many of them struggle with the problem of synthetic fabric that never degrades. If you visit one please be sure to only use natural fibres, because aside from the obvious micro plastic pollution, the magic is only supposed to work when the rag has rotted away! Using synthetic fabric is basically cursing yourself!

After our first performance we went straight on to Monmouth and the magical willow snow of the @wyevalleyriverfestival It was an incredible event, with so many river puppets, song, dance, performance art, crafts and workshops. We were blessed with an amazing audience who journeyed with us across our 4.5 billion year long story of water - from the very birth of Mam y Môr right through to the present day. Creating a show that brings people to both laughter and tears while still leaving them with hope is such a challenge and a privilege. We're always grateful to be trusted by willing eyes and ears, and it's such a reward when it all finally pays off and we see that what we've created is having an impact! Promises were made to the rivers, rags were dipped and tied, and both young and old were equally enchanted by the Song of Water. Thanks to @vulpine.gnosis for the photos!

1 month later - 2 performances down - Cân y Dŵr has been born! We've had some amazing responses from our first audiences, with tears, laughter, promises made to the rivers and resilient hope in the face of adversity. Here are a few photos from our preview performance on Calan Mai, more to come soon! One thing we've learned - Running our own social media accounts AND birthing a new show is hard work, we're all really exhausted and regular posting has definitely taken a back seat as we focus on the real world of creativity and art. If we don't post for a while, assume it's because we're doing the thing rather than posting about it! Because of this, we've forgotten to share most of the things we had lined up! We've now got a couple of weeks for production planning before the next performance, we'll be trying to share what we've been up to in that time. We're super grateful to ACW for the funding, Maggie Nichols and Jo @earthybond for the chance to work in such a perfect location with daily access to water, @libby.bove.arts for the stunning puppets and filming (watch this space), and the incredible @michaelharveystoryteller for all his amazing support and input which really helped elevate the show to another level! Next stop Llanover Hall on the 14th of May - link in bio!

Meet @ailsamairsong who brings cello, voice and collaborative improvisation to @ashseedconfest Grief Gathering on 22-25 May Join us! Link in bio x #grief #griefceremony #lostrites #ashseedconfest