Mawddach Residency: Notes From The Estuary

Join Emily in conversation with textile artist and contemporary embroiderer Hanny Newton. Through an intuitive, material-centred approach to historical craft techniques, Hanny creates bespoke hand-stitched pieces using metal and natural threads. Her practice explores how embroidery helps us see ancient techniques in fresh ways. She was a recipient of a 2023 QEST Broderers Company Scholarship, part of her work using straw and grasses to create a sustainable ‘natural gold‘. Hanny was also awarded the inaugural QEST Sanderson Rising Star Craft Award in 2024.https://www.hannynewton.co.ukInstagram @hannynewtonhttp://heritagecrafts.org.uk/skills/redlist/https://www.qest.org.uk/qest-sanderson-rising-star-craft-award-interview-with-hanny-newton/

This episode evolved in collaboration with Mawddach Residency in Arthog, Wales. Weaving together a conversation with founders Scarlett Rebecca and Jake Spicer, alongside reflections from residents Emily Wilkinson and Hyunah Koh. Produced as part of Emily's own residency (supported by the SWW-DTP), this dialogue explores themes of artist residencies, landscape and creative community stitched together with original field recordings made on the estuary edges. https://www.mawddachresidency.com/Instagram:@mawddachresidency@jakespicerart @scarlettrebecca @draw_brighton@artbyhyunah_h

This episode was created following a two-day arts and poetry event titled 'Under the Aqueduct' in aid of Afon Dyfrdwy (the River Dee) in Northeast Wales, which was in aid of the Dee Trust and supported by ETA CIC. Join Emily for conversations with Rob Hirst, Suzanne Iuppa and Natasha Borton, with poetry and musical contributions from Vivace Choir, Jenny Wilde Parkes, Sheryl Clowes, Geraint Jones and Ted Eames. Thanks also to Emma Jayne Holmes, who also co-organised our event and brought her wonderful visual art contributions to these conversations. The Walking Interlude preceding this episode titled 'Dyfrydwy Dreaming' is a companion piece to this journey, and a more meditative sound experience layering field recordings and music made with Jenny Wilde-Peake along the River Dee. Subscribe to stay up to date with future episodes, and follow @desirelinespodcast on Instagram to connect.

A sound journey made alongside Afon Dyfrdwy (the River Dee) which flows beneath the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. This piece was made on a walk and in collaboration with musician Jenny Wilde-Parkes as part of the Walking Interludes project, an exploration of protected spaces in Wales. Taith sain a wnaed ar hyd Afon Dyfrdwy sy'n llifo o dan Draphont Pontcysyllte. Gwnaed y darn hwn ar daith gerdded ac mewn cydweithrediad â'r cerddor Jenny Wilde-Parkes fel rhan o brosiect Walking Interludes, archwiliad o fannau gwarchodedig yng Nghymru.© Emily Wilkinson & Jenny Wilde-Parkes 2026

In this episode, we continue our conversations with Dr. Tamara Russell. Tamara is a clinical psychologist, neuroscientist, martial artist and mindfulness trainer. She works as an academic and clinician, exploring the use of embodied mindfulness in the work of transformation and self-development.Our second conversation focuses in on neurodivergence and wayfinding, exploring the importance of environment in our quality of attention. We creatively try to navigate the tricky terrain of diagnosis, whilst coming up with some suggestions for valuing neurodivergent experience with more kindness. We reference Abigail Rose Clark's book Returning Home to Our Bodies. Find out more about the book at https://www.abigailroseclarke.com/FREE GIFT: Find Tamara's Compassionate To Do List online at https://sutra.co/space/qzn05v84. You can also sign up to Tamara's Dragon Academy courses.

Jo Hazell Watkins is a trauma-informed strength trainer and co-founder of The Soma Space in Oswestry, UK. In a previous career, Jo worked as a textiles designer before significant life events and a period of ill health re-orientated her towards the use of the body for healing. In this episode, Emily and Jo talk about women's strength as a desire line, unpicking narratives around strength and our conditioning as women. We encourage listeners of all genders to tune into this conversation, as the themes are wide -ranging and pertinent to co-creating kinder futures. https://www.instagram.com/jo_somaspace/https://www.instagram.com/thesoma.space/https://www.thesoma.space/

Scott Roe (aka Boohai) is the the creator of a pioneering micro-nation, a deep ecologist, musician and visual artist living off-grid in the wild Welsh hills. Music has been part of his life since an early age, and in the past he ran an independent record label and PR company for creative projects. In his ecology work, Scott is founder of a woodland rewilding nature reserve and volunteer program, blending creativity with hands-on environmental action.  Tune in for a conversation about creative citizenship, and artful ways to rethink borders and belonging. The music featured in this episode is the track "I Know You Know" by Boohai. www.bronyraur.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/bronyraurcommunity/Boohai on spotify

In this episode, Emily talks with Gabriela Blandy. Gabriela is an award-winning writer, life coach and shamanic practitioner, and the founder of the Wild Muse nature writing prize, which celebrates writing born from deep encounters with the natural world. Her research and coaching focuses on the idea of ‘safe creativity’, which supports writers and artists to move beyond trauma and conditioning and create from the wild intelligence within.https://gabrielablandy.orgInstagram @wildmuseprize https://gabrielablandy.substack.comFollow the podcast on Instagram @desirelinespodcast and subscribe to stay up to date with future episodes.

Hi friends. This is a short interlude from me, Emily Wilkinson, creator and producer of Desire Lines Podcast. You may have noticed that things went a bit quiet afterseries one. Desire Lines is a slow media project, and we’ve been taking a break before bringing you another series of creative conversations.  Series one saw some truly magical exchanges take place, andwe have some great guests lined up already for series two. These include writer and Wild Muse Prize creator Gabriela Blandy, Independent Nation builder and musicianScott Roe, and trauma-informed strength coach Jo Hazell Watkins. We’ll also be featuring some walking interludes, recorded outdoors. That’s it for now, We look forward to bringing you moreepisodes of Desire Lines soon. Stay tuned.

Walkspace (walkspace.uk) is a West Midlands-based co-operative of artists, writers, psychogeographers, photographers, creative practitioners and walkers. Walkspace exists to bring together artists and creative practitioners in the region who use walking as part of their practice. We aim to create a community of mutual support and collaboration, working as a co-operative collective to support the creation of new work.In this episode, Emily speaks with fellow Walkspace members Rachel Henaghan and Andy Howlett on the theme of walking as storytelling. LinksFull transcript available here: https://share.descript.com/view/lMW6F2jYtMxhttps://walkspace.uk/Instagram @walkspacewmhttps://www.rachelhenaghan.co.uk/https://andyhowlett.co.uk/https://emilywilkinson.net/