Wild Arts Year - Midwinter

#wildsartsyear

Winter is the first in a series of explorations of the British wild landscape at specific times of year celebrating the wild landscape through music, song, visual art, poetry and dance.

Liz has commissioned four visual artists to reflect the words and music of her eco-carol A Wild Midwinter Carol leading to a celebration of Wild Winter on the Malvern Hills at events in December 2024.

This series of videos Liz introduces each art work:

Layla Khani’s Wild Winter (Lino cut)

Sarah Jones Post Wild Winter (Sculpture)

Meet the artists: click to visit each artists’ website

Jennifer Ng

Sarah Jones

Lauren Radley

Layla Khani

 Liz is now in collaboration with other creatives developing new poetic layers to complete this creative festival of all things Midwinter with a performance in December 2024 More info here.

 

#wildartsyear

Lauren Radley

Jennifer Ng

A Wild Midwinter Carol 

All on a frosty dawning the hare is on the hill,

the robin sings from the old oak tree,

all on Midwinter's morn.

Now we too raise our voices,

all in a circle sing

for love, for love, for tender love

across the hill and vale.

 

All on a rainy noon-tide the seal is in the bay,

the little wren sings from the hawthorn tree,

all on Midwinter's day.

Now we too raise our voices,

all in a circle sing

for peace, for peace, for gentle peace

across the deep sea.

 

All on a snowy evening the fox is in the wood,

the tawny owl calls from the alder tree,

all on Midwinter's eve.

Now we too raise our voices,

all in a circle sing

for calm, for calm, for soothing calm

across the woody heath.

 

All on a clear-skied midnight the child is watching on,

the quiet dove sits in the holly tree

all on Midwinter's night.

Now we too join in silence,

all in a circle stand

for hope, for hope, for brightest hope

across the sea and land.

 

Now we too raise our voices,

all in a circle sing

for joy, for, joy, for nature's joy

across the land and sea. 

© Liz Dilnot Johnson 2022

How did it all start?

View on Composers Edition

“‘In December 2020 I woke up with a tune in my head and an idea about a folk-like melody with words describing the different wild landscapes around Britain. I wanted to include different trees, birds, mammals and their habitats. The song starts at dawn and each verse conjures up a different time of day and a different wild place.”
— Liz Dilnot Johnson

Layla Khani

Sarah Jones