Haven’t booked your tickets for The Nettle Dress Film & Guest Talk? Limited spaces left. If you can't make it, the talk will be recorded and available to listen to online shortly after 🌿
The Nettle Dress is a beautifully crafted documentary following textile artist Allan Brown, who spent seven years making a dress entirely by hand from foraged stinging nettles. A story of slow craft, sustainability and deep connection to the natural world, the film is also a moving meditation on love, loss and healing.
We’re delighted to be joined by Allan for a post-screening Q&A. Ahead of the event, we caught up with him to ask a few questions; and he shares his thoughts in his own words in this post.
↪️ The Nettle Dress: Film & Guest Talk
📅 Fri 6 Feb, 3–5pm
✨ FREE, film rated 12A
📍 Hub, ground floor studio
🔗 Booking essential, link in the bio
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📸 @markcarrollphoto and Allan Brown
🎥 Film directed by @dylanhowitt
This event is part of the @design_nationuk Beneath the Surface Events Programme.
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#TheNettleDress #SlowCraft #Sustainability #Documentary #WhatsOn
A labour of love, 'The Nettle Dress' reminds us that a return to slow methods of production and reconnection to nature can be healing for both the planet and humans alike. Textile artist Allan Brown @hedgerow.couture finds a way through grief by locally foraging for nettle, processing the fibres, hand-spinning and weaving them, and then cutting and sewing the coarse fabric into a dress. This 7-year project, poignantly documented through lens of @dylanhowitt , enables Brown to find solace in the changing seasons, to slow down his mind through the repetitive and embodied nature of craftsmanship, and to ‘change something ugly and painful into something beautiful and protective.’ Taking raw materials he slowly transforms them into beautiful cloth with the aim of creating functional, durable clothing that draws lightly from the land, reflecting the fibres and colours of the landscape he lives and works in.
The Nettle Dress will be screened @genesiscinema on Wednesday 21 May
Ticket link in bio .｡.:*･ﾟ
📷 35mm test roll
I dusted off my old 35mm camera last week (bought 40 years ago with the proceeds of a paper round) and shot a test roll of the film I always used at art college (Ilford HP5).
Some were dud as ever but a few came out alright...encouraged enough to shoot some more 😊
Loving the beautiful train journey from Bergen to Oslo with @hedgerow.couture , bringing @nettledressfilm to Norway for the first time.
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We had a fantastic very well attended screening yesterday @kmdbergen organised by the very brilliant @timparry_williams_projects
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On Thursday we’ll show the film again in Oslo @khio
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And I even got to see an old film-maker friend in Bergen @folk_film
Happy days 🥰
✨Jenu Kuruba forest song✨
Over two decades ago I was lucky to work with @fridagoart on a film about the politics of tiger conservation in Karnataka, South India.
We filmed with the Jenu Kuruba (Honey Gatherers) who were under constant threat of eviction from the forests where they’d lived for centuries.
One day, after hours of filming interviews, a woman sang us this beautiful song.
Today I digitised the tape again and wanted to put this treasure here for me, and anyone here, to enjoy.
Some of her words below.
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The forest is my own child
Whatever comes, whoever comes,
I will guard it
This land is full of brave and courageous people.
I will live with the same courage.
I will live with the same courage, forever
Whatever comes, whoever comes
We will face it.
The first rule of Portrait Club...apparently is to post about it ✏️
Last night I went for the first time to the brilliant (free!) @draw_brighton organised portrait drawing, down the local pub.
Everyone takes a turn sitting for 10 minutes, drawing each other, a lovely sketching work out and meditation.
Will definitely be back..
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✨Winter Solstice love to one and all ✨
A few still frames from a music video I recently made for Liz Overs @overslizzie
Her new single 'A Prayer to the Year' is out now...go to her bio to find a link to the full video on Youtube.
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EL BOTERO - THE BOATMAN
The first films I made were all shot on Super 8 so I’ve really been enjoying revisiting a Super 8 film I made 18 years ago in Buenos Aires.
The film will soon be housed at an archive in Argentina, so I wanted to have the rushes rescanned at a much higher resolution. It was done beautifully by @on8mil - have a look at this wee sample.
The film is a portrait of a ferry boatman in Buenos Aires (called ‘El Colchon’, ‘The Mattress’) as he plies his trade crossing the Riochuelo, one of the most polluted rivers in the world.
From grandfather to grandson, El Colchon’s family have crossed the same tiny stretch of water for over a hundred years, so he and his family are a powerful witness to the effects of human development in that time. From swimming and fishing in the river as a child to the industrial pollution today.
I didn’t want to lay subtitles over the lovely super 8 images so this is one for the Spanish speakers (what a beautiful Porteño / Argentine accent)!
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⭐️⭐️Seeing stars!⭐️⭐️
Just wanted to celebrate all the lovely four and five star reviews we’ve had for our film this last year, with a beautiful photo of @oonagh_brown wearing the nettle dress, taken by @peterflude for The Observer.
You can still watch the film wherever you are, and we’ve extended how long it’s available for, to Thursday December 12th 4pm! Link in our bio or via nettledress.org
*Important correction: the Australia/NZ plan didn't work out. The film is now available EVERYWHERE until the 12th!
Enjoy!
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Looking for a reason to slow down this season? We recommend watching “The Nettle Dress,” an independent film that showcases the healing power of nature and craft. 🌿🪡 It is available online through December 2—a special opportunity as it is not yet widely available to stream.
This touching and uplifting film carries a story about textile-making that goes beyond a particular craft. It portrays how a tangible connection with materials from our own landscapes can bring healing and joy where it is most needed in our lives. 💛
Visit the link in our bio to learn how to stream @nettledressfilm , which includes a pre-recorded Q&A with textile artist @hedgerow.couture and filmmaker @dylanhowitt .
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Images courtesy of @nettledressfilm
Filming in Autumn woods and marshy fields...a lovely day spent with @overslizzie and @hedgerow.couture ✨
So fun making a music video (for the first time in years), will be sharing soon! 🥰
