'Y', Foraged Oak (collected in late summer, Scotland, 2022) hand-dyed on recycled calico 120cm x 210cm, 2023. 'Navigator', wooden stick 21.5cm x 11cm, 2017.

Reverse view of 'Y'

The sign Y takes on many interpretations such as the simplified tree, the cross, the peace sign, the letter, DNA both vegetal and animal. The stories of the Oak date back centuries known as a tree of life, wisdom, and knowledge. Yet, the Oak has a rich history in the industry of tanning, making black dyes for leather and textiles. It also belongs to darker histories in the name of progress, where its wood was over-extracted to build ships and make coal for smelting iron.