With roots in textile design, Julie’s work blends tactile processes with horticultural and ecological methods, creating space for participants to reconnect with nature in meaningful ways. Her workshops have become a hub for uplifting conversations, collaboration, and shared learning among the community group. There’s a strong sense that this will not end with the workshops, but continue to  evolve and inspire. 

The group have taken to the streets and green spaces of Eglinton, walking together to observe and reflect. These walks weave together layers of history and present-day challenges, from the legacy of linen mills and the flow of the River Faughan, to pressing environmental concerns such as chemical dumping at the Mobuoy site and the area’s history of flooding. Julie encourages a deep exploration into place-based storytelling and mapping, where the river itself becomes the veins of the project - fluid, connective, and constantly shifting.

This spirit of exploration has extended into a range of creative sessions, including a pop-up Seed Library and a workshop at the CCA on Artillery Street in Derry. The recent seed-saving session with Conor O’Kane introduced participants to plants that can help detoxify soil, alongside the planting of flax, weld, and woad,materials that connect directly back to the region’s textile heritage.

A particularly powerful element of Julie’s work has been her commitment to walking the River Faughan. Inviting others to join her along different stretches, the journey has been both challenging and quietly magical. Each bend in the river reveals something new, unexpected encounters, natural beauty, and the realities of human impact.

Looking ahead, April brings further momentum, when  we will learn about the National Lottery’s visit to Derry to capture the unfolding outcomes of the projects so far which will be shared widely. In Faughan - a planned walk through Muff Glen will offer another opportunity to immerse in nature, spot red squirrels and wildlife, and continue capturing the stories, conversations, and creativity that define Artitude. In the Triax area – A walk in Creggan Country Park, A wake for nature, the excitement of creating films…. We can’t wait to get involved…