I am currently working on a body of prints and drawings, considering trees as sacred spaces. Trees are an important part of our cultural heritage and are of considerable ecological value. I am researching our relationship to trees; the stories, cultural associations, folkloric importance, and contemporary uses. My research has taken me on residencies to Inis Oirr, Ireland, Ynys Enlli, Wales, with a planned residency to the Iles of Scilly in 2026.
My proposal for the Dover Prize involves three main activities spanning the two years of the prize; drawing training with Dr Sarah Simblet, an extended period of research in Darlington, and mentorship with master printmaker Lee Turner.
Dr Sarah Simblet is an artist, writer and anatomist, her work explores the relationship between science, history and art. She is the author of The New Sylva: a Discourse of Forest and Orchard Trees for the Twenty-First Century (2014). By spending two days of intensive training with Dr Simblet I will begin to develop a refined drawing practice with a deeper understanding of the biological aspects of my subject.
I will research the trees in Darlington, using the Woodland trusts Ancient Tree Inventory as a starting point. To fully understand the cultural, social and ecological value of the ancient trees, I will connect with local groups, artists and experts. I will do this through a series of workshops, talks and walks in collaboration with the community, alongside individual research.
I intend to push the boundaries of my skills with stone lithography. Lee Turner’s expertise in lithography is unparalleled, making him an invaluable mentor. His mentorship will expose me to innovative approaches, enabling me to push the boundaries of my practice.
ESTIMATED COSTS
Dr Sarah Simblet day rate £300 x 2: £600
Travel: £107
Accommodation: (friend)
Materials budget: £100
Lee Turner day rate £200 x 8: £1600
Travel x 4 visits: £664
Accommodation: (friend)
Materials budget: £300
Total training costs £3371
Remaining £6629 TBC: to include multiple research trips to Darlington (return train travel, accommodation, per diems, materials budget) final exhibition costs, and partner events/workshops (materials, space hire, artist fees.)
This bursary would not only empower me as an individual artist but also contribute to the enrichment of the broader art community. Informed by my experiences I will explore universal themes that connect us all as human beings, transcending cultural boundaries and fostering a deeper understanding of our shared humanity, resulting in a body of work that will resonate deeply with the audience in Darlington.
This project will enable me to share my research and expertise with the local community through potential talks and workshops, fostering collaborations. As part of the project, I intend to seek out collaborations with Darlington Folk Acoustic Club, local arts and printmaking groups and community youth groups to produce a broad range of activities engaging with Darlington’s ancient trees. This exchange of knowledge and creative energy will stimulate the local arts scene, attracting attention and recognition from a broader audience, recognising Darlington as a vibrant hub for artistic expression and innovation.
I am also interested in the potential of a reciprocal residency at the artist residency I run in North Wales (Mawddach Residency) where artists/musicians from the Darlington creative community could be invited to respond to the trees in the temperate rainforests of Gwynedd. This could foster a long lasting creative relationship and dialogue between our two communities.
Scarlett is a working class artist, educator and collaborative printmaker originally from Bedfordshire, living in West Wales. She works with partner organisations and independently from her studio at St John’s Hall Gallery in Abermaw/Barmouth.
Scarlett has written ‘Alternative Lithography’ an instructional guide to alternative and accessible lithographic printmaking, published by Crowood Press in 2025. Scarlett co-founded the Mawddach Residency and is a member of Aberystwyth Printmakers and Heritage Crafts. Scarlett’s work reflects a deep connection to the human experience, with a focus on themes that evoke both contemplation and emotion. Within her work she explores the subjects of mortality, afterlife, identity, and associated cultural narratives. The medium of stone lithography has played a pivotal role in her artistic expression, known for its complex process and delicate results, stone lithography requires meticulous attention to detail and artistic finesse.
Scarlett uses folkloric stories and archetypal characters as a lens to understand our relationship with mortality. She is interested in places where the physical land is inseparable from the mythology and folklore of the past, and where ancient sites and stories light up the imagination.
Scarlett’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in the practice of drawing, always returning to figurative studies; the drawing is then taken through lithographic and relief print processes. She uses pattern as a narrative device, with an understanding of the symbolic, nostalgic and personal connections that we have to pattern. Selected Exhibitions & Events
‘Do Androids Dream’, Oriel Croesor, May – September 2025
Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, London, November 2024
Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, June – August 2024
Print International, Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham, October – January 2024
A-N Funding Awarded January 2023 – Developing Practice in Stone Lithography
I run and co-founded the Mawddach Residency in 2021.
I host a ‘Sgwrs Bach’, an evening of short talks by local artists and experts, twice a year.
I have worked with Bedfordshire Council on a community mural project and I was commissioned to produce a short film for Arts Council Wales.
My new book ‘Alternative Lithography’ will feature in Pressing Matters magazine and Printmaking Today journal.
Artist in Residence – Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr, November 2024
Artist in Residence – Creative Spark, Dundalk, July & August 2023
Artist in Residence – Belfast Print Workshop May 2023
Email: contact@scarlettrebecca.co.uk
Address: 2 Mawddach Crescent, Arthog, Gwynedd, LL39 1BJ, GB
Local Authority: Gwynedd Council
