Madder Sculpture (2021-22) and Rack (2022-25)

I started growing madder in my studio in 2021. Madder needs to mature at least 2 years before it can be harvested for colour. To support the plant as it matured, I built a structure for it to climb up, made from scrap wood, spun wool and bamboo. I sat the whole structure on borrowed castor wheels so that I could move the plant easily, and I made a quilted planter cover with madder-dyed fabrics to draw attention to the important but hidden roots that hold a brilliant red dye. The work was shown as part of a Ph.D. research exhibition at the Burren College of Art gallery in 2022.

I later repurposed the wooden structure as a drying rack for dye plants from the garden. It became a regularly used piece of studio infrastructure. The rack was included in my Ph.D. final exhibition, Everything Gardens, in 2025.