Greening Your Art Practice
Greening Your Art Practice focuses on opening up knowledge and networks for artists practising or interested in the growing area of ecologically conscious contemporary art. During the event we will hear from three speakers whose varied practices focus on ecological themes and/or sustainable approaches to art making: Alice Burnhope, Chris Poolman (General Public) and Marie Smith. This will be followed by a wider discussion moderated by Zoë Lippett, Exhibitions and Artists’ Projects Curator intended to support collective artist engagement in this area.
This event coincides with the Gallery’s current exhibition Earthbound and connects to our long-term mission to embed a sustainable and conscientious environmental policy into all our work.
Light refreshments will be available.
Biographies
Alice Burnhope is an award-winning textile artist and artist educator, born and raised in Walsall and now based in South East London. Her practice is deeply rooted in sustainable textile techniques, skilfully repurposing waste materials and drawing on traditional crafts such as natural dyeing, embroidery, patchwork, quilting, and pattern cutting to create tactile, sculptural works.
Central to Burnhope’s practice is collaboration: she works closely with communities to co-create immersive installations and wearable textile sculptures that foster wellbeing and deepen our connection to nature.
Alice has exhibited both nationally and internationally, including at Arthouse Jersey, the Hayward Gallery, and Alexandra Palace. Alongside her studio practice, she delivers creative workshops for a range of organisations—from grassroots community groups to prestigious institutions such as Buckingham Palace, the Royal Horticultural Society, and The British Museum. Her workshops and projects are rooted in accessibility and care, with a focus on sharing ecological craft practices and knowledge to build a more holistic and empowering world.
General Public is the collaborative practice of Birmingham-based artists Chris Poolman and Elizabeth Rowe. Recent and current projects include the Birmingham Allotment Project, which explored the heritage of allotments in Birmingham from the 1960s to the present day, and Compost Culture, an ongoing multi-site project working to transform people’s views around food waste and composting, on display at The New Art Gallery Walsall from 29 April – 18 May 2025.
In 2024 General Public had a long-term residency at The New Art Gallery Walsall, during which they explored natural building techniques, sourced clay and other natural materials from local sites and worked with a local community group to co-produce works under the name Mud Club. This work culminated in a major sculptural commission, The Sanctum of the One-Eyed Toad (& Other Spirit Animals of Walsall), 2024, which is currently on display at the Gallery.
Chris Poolman will introduce his environmentally driven practice and share insight into the natural building processes explored through his most recent work.
Marie Smith (she/they) is a neurodivergent visual artist and writer born, living, and working in London. Smith graduated in 2017 with an MA in History in Art with Photography at Birkbeck, University of London. They are currently a Lecturer at Kingston University.
Being a neurodivergent person with dyspraxia and anxiety has informed how they navigate the world. Smith’s practice incorporates audio, digital, and analogue media alongside text as a form of visual language that addresses identity, the body, nature, sustainability, mental health, and wellbeing.
Smith’s lens-based approach incorporates low-toxic plant, food, or herb-based developers to process their analogue film. Due to this methodology not being transferable to developing colour film, they mostly work with black and white and camera-less film processes. Smith will share recent projects and their sustainable photography approach.