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MDK, Bytom. Poland 2006Candle Labyrinth
As part of a cultural exchange programme, Nic Piper and Marie Brett collaborated with staff, students and young people from the MDK Cultural Centre in Bytom, Poland and worked together to create an outdoor interactive artwork, coinciding with the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
Taking the form of a temporary candle labyrinth with music, the art piece was built in the town’s Main Square, with a large audience of townspeople interacting with the work over the course of one evening.
The work measured 10 meters x 10 meters.
NES, Iceland
Nic Piper and Marie Brett collaborated on a project at NES in Skagaströnd, Iceland during 2009. Together they built a series of labyrinths using locally sourced materials: Black volcanic sand, rock salt, tablets and snow. The works were installed in a large, disused fish factory, a gallery space and on the shoreline. One work incorporated a pair of wooden boats, each 60 years old, and used only once per year in a significant community rowing race.
Glastonbury Festival
Educational Outreach Programme
Marie Brett led an educational outreach programme for Glastonbury Festival which involved working with local primary schools and Somerset County Council Arts Office.
Over a period of 10 years, Marie facilitated creative arts projects with children and teachers in school during the summer term which resulted in large scale artworks being made. These works were displayed at the festival within the Greencrafts Field with children, parents and teachers visiting to view the work. Following the festival, all works were returned to the school.
Various types of artworks were made and particularly popular pieces were huge painted banners, candle lanterns and mixed media structures. All artworks were large scale and often incorporating natural, renewable or recycled materials.
Bronze Bell Foundry Project 2007
Dave Chapman originated the ambitious idea of creating a Greencrafts bell and went on to co-ordinate the design and casting project involving many master craftspeople in the making. Contributors to the project were: Adam the jeweller * Dave the Cryndir * Felix the welder * Gareth the blacksmith * Harry the chainsaw * James the windmill * Jules the foundry * Lucy and Will the rope * Mark the crew * Mick the carver * Nancy the woodcarver * Nic, Marie and Clodagh * Steff the blacksmith * Sue the basket maker * Tim the woodcarver * Tom the framer * Will the knapper The bronze bell was cast on-site in the Greencrafts field at Glastonbury Festival during 2007. "Many hands made me that many hands might ring me." 
   
Giles Scott, The Lighten up Crew & Nic Piper
Black Strand Labyrinth
Greencrafts Giles Scott collaborated with Nic Piper who designed the Black Strand labyrinth drawing which was built in The Greencrafts Field at Glastonbury Festival 2009.
On the first night of the festival, as an opening ceremony, the Lighten Up Crew facilitated a lantern procession to the labyrinth, followed by Giles Scott creating a fire walkway and bronze caster Dave Chapman walking the labyrinth & sounding the big bronze bell which had been created at a previous event.
The labyrinth was lit using candle lanterns for a further 4 nights during the event.
The work measured 18 meters x 14 meters
Closing Ceremony - Turf & Fire Labyrinth Lee Godfree, Nic Piper, Giles Scott, Lighten up Crew, Mark Evans & Dee Mason
‘Internal Spiral’
Greencrafts Lee Godfree collaborated with Nic Piper to create a land drawing in King’s Meadow at Glastonbury Festival 2008.
The work measured 15 meters x 15 meters.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0VgXFIgvhM
Tree Planting Ceremony
Greenrafts have been planting trees at Worthy Farm, where Glastonbury Festival takes place, over a period of many years & in 2006 a special tree planting ceremony, led by Erika & Dave of the Bronze Age Foundry, marked the festival's opening to the public. Two Ash trees were planted, one designated male and the other female & at the time of planting all craftspeople & crew were invited to contribute a token to the soil and tree as a personal intention.
7 Shadows
A participatory sculpture built by Marie Brett involving festival public contributing hundreds of written intentions as part of the work which developed and changed over the course of the event. 2010.
History / Background Nic Piper & Marie Brett began work with Glastonbury Festival in the late 1980's as sculptors showcasing huge road-ways of flags and banners. Marie went on to lead the festival's education programme involving working with local schools & the county arts office. In 1992 Nic & Marie were invited to develop a new field for the festival and The Greencrafts Field was launched.
Over nearly 20 years they have project managed an event which has grown to be one of the largest of its kind in Europe, working in partnership with several hundred craftspeople & artists, trail-blazing new ways for the public to engage with craft.
Glastonbury Festival 2009 - Field Views www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhUqqK-T-0o&feature=related
The Big Green GatheringSomerset UK Late July / Aug
Nic Piper was a founder member of The Big Green Gathering Co Ltd. He established and managed a Greencrafts Field for the event until 2009.
The Greencrafts Field ran for 13 years and showcased some of Britain and Ireland’s leading environmental craft practice. Operating as a 5 day event and created as a working crafts village, there were over 100 workshops on offer to the public daily
Fire Labyrinth Greencrafts regularly co-ordinated fire labyrinths at the events in partnership with Giles Scott & in 2008 they created a massive inter-active spectacle on the Saturday night.
Saltzgitter-Bad Cultural Exchange CentreGermany
Greencrafts Nic Piper and Marie Brett in collaboration with The Octobus Project, Wiltshire, Uk were commissioned to create a 3 story banner for the interior stairwell of the Saltzgitter-Bad Cultural Exchange Centre in Germany.
The project involved making the artwork on site, in an open-studio setting plus additionally staging exhibitions in the town’s City Hall and library buildings.
This project was part of a European cultural exchange programme with young people, which involved driving a vintage community arts bus to Eastern Germany and back.
WOMADWorld of Music Arts & Dance Festival UK
Greencrafts Nic Piper & Marie Brett collaborated regularly with a team of site decorators to build large scale sculpture for WOMAD. The sculptures were often large scale and attached to cliff-sides on the sea edge.
Roves Farm Spring Fair UKRoves Farm Visitor Centre, Wiltshire UK
Greencrafts Nic Piper & Marie Brett received Arts Council of England funding for an arts research project, based on a farm growing willow as a biomass crop.
Open studio demonstrations were incorporated into the project with visitor days for the public, as well as a schools programme of hands-on workshops.
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Electric Picnic & Co Laois Arts
Mentoring - Laois Co Arts
Greencrafts Nic Piper and Marie Brett collaborated with Laois County Council’s Arts Office and six Laois artists as part of a sculpture training and mentor project at The Electric Picnic, Ireland 2008.
Nic and Marie worked as mentors to the six artists, focussing specifically on issues relating to interactive public artworks within a festival context. Hands on advice and support in the use of hazel, willow, roots, soil and bone was available and an information booklet was created.
The sculptural work was located in the Walled Garden measuring 15 meters x 15 meters.
Interactive sculpture
Chi Rho
An interactive environmental sculpture built in 2009 by Nic Piper, Eoin Donnelly, Wesley Seerly & Marie Brett with seating by Nathan Solomon & gateway figures by Imogen Stafford.
7 Shadows
A participatory sculpture built by Marie Brett assisted by Sarah Delaney, John Lehane & Robyn Gutteridge during 2010. The installation involved festival public contributing hundreds of written intentions as part of the work which developed and changed over the course of the event.
Enterance gateway
A Gateway feature was built for the entrance to The Greencrafts Village in 2010 by Donal O'Gara, Daniel Krakauer, Marie Brett & Nic Piper. Yurt builder Donal used steam bending technology to fabricate timber sections.
Hazel Coppicing Project
In 2010 Greencrafts initiated a new woodland management project in partnership with Fuinseog Woodlands Crafts at Stradbally Hall, Portlaoise, Co Laois. The project aims to bring back into production local coppice and integrate usage with the Electic Picnic event.
History / Background
In 2008 Nic and Marie Piper approached Electric Picnic with an idea for a large scale sculpture; they were invited to present the sculpture plus also to host a new area for the festival – a Greencrafts Village.
The first year saw an intimate crafts village located in Stradbally Hall’s Walled Garden, 16 groups of craftspeople offered a range of daily public workshops. Nic and Marie also led an arts mentoring project with 6 Laois artists and Laois County Arts Office, building a large interactive sculpture.
2009 saw Greencrafts expand to a new central arena location with 35 crafts groups offering daily workshops and demonstrations. 2010 saw the area grow even bigger with plans to continue developing over future years.
Greencrafts look forward to working with more of Ireland’s talented artists and craftspeople as part of this new, exciting venture.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv72QyTFtyA
Cork Capital of Culture.2005
Greencrafts Nic Piper was commissioned to create a series of night time labyrinths for the Solas Festival of Light, the closing ceremony of Cork Capital of Culture 2005.
Three candle labyrinths were made, one in the county region at Carriganass Castle near Bantry, another in the city centre in Bishop Lucey Park and a final piece was presented outside Cork County Hall’s building.
Each work was temporary and interactive.
Cobh Maritime Song FestivalThe Heritage Centre, Cobh, County Cork 2007
‘Baltic Wheel’
Cobh Maritime Song Festival commissioned Nic Piper to create an interactive labyrinth for the opening ceremony of their festival in 2007 in collaboration with Sirius Arts Centre and MyCork.
Based on a traditional Baltic Wheel design, the work references older labyrinths found on the Baltic coastline which were walked by sailors before setting out to sea to ensure a good voyage. It’s believed that contrary spirits and winds would follow the sailors into the labyrinth and become trapped, enabling the sailors to make a swift exit and safe, unhindered journey.
The work was inspired and informed by an exchange visit to Poland supported by The Arts Council of Ireland and Sirius Arts Centre.
The work incorporated live music and measured 16 meters x 16 meters.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=12tEfsN7zFI
National Drawing Day, Butler Gallery
Kilkenny Castle
“4 Towers” Labyrinth
Nic Piper and Marie Brett were invited to build a labyrinth by The Butler Gallery at Kilkenny Castle in Ireland as part of the galleries National Drawing Day event.
The work was constructed using limestone pebbles. The design was based on the ground plan of the castle and it measured a 13m diameter.
Body & Soul GatheringCo Westmeath, 2010
Greencrafts were invited to develop a craft village at the new Body & Soul Gathering taking place in the grounds of Ballinlough Castle, County Westmeath over the summer solstice in 2010. Delighted to be part of the event, the greencraft village showcased a diverse range of hand-on craft workshops throughout the event.
Irish Green Gathering 2008County Wexford
Greencrafts Nic Piper & Marie Brett displayed large candle lanterns at The Irish Green Gathering as part of the events woodland trail.
The Cross-Roads FestivalReenascreena, County Cork
Greencrafts Nic Piper & Marie Brett were commissioned to make two large, statement sculptures for the entrance and exit of the village of Reenascreena, for their Cross-Roads Festival.
Two Folk Trees were created, using hundreds of meters of cloth incorporating text referencing local folklore, which was collected from the village community by local children.
The temporary works were installed for two weeks.
Showcase Young Social InnovatorsDublin, 2007
Nic Piper and Marie Brett were commissioned by The Young Social Innovators to create a ‘Tree of Intention’ for their annual Showcase event at the RDS in Dublin, Ireland.
1200 ribbons were attached to a collection of six trees; each ribbon having a personal intention written on it by a young person. The resulting installation, swathed with personal hopes for the future: each with an environmental, social, community or personal focus, was displayed for 1 day.
16 Days of Action:Women Against Violence
County Cork
Greencrafts Marie Brett was commissioned in partnership with Nic Piper to make a participatory artwork by The West Cork Women Against Violence Project as part of the national programme: 16 days of Action Against Violence. A large copper beech tree was central to an installation with participants contributing personal written intentions, sealed in envelopes and attached to the tree by cloth ribbons. One hundred candles were lit under the tree to mark a period of silent contemplation during the event.
Bantry Mussel FairCounty Cork
Over a three year period from 2002 - 2005 Greencrafts led a festival outreach programme managing art activities in Bantry national schools, partnering with staff and children to make environmental artwork for display in Bantry town shop windows throughout the festival period.
Festival of Samhain Carriganass Castle
County Cork
Greencrafts held a candle labyrinth at Carriganass Castle, Bantry, County Cork in celebration of Samhain. There was a large community turnout to interact with the work, the first of its kind in the county.
St Finbarr’s Feast DayCounty Cork
Wishing Tree and St Finbarr’s Shrine
Marie Brett was invited to create an interactive wishing tree and a shrine, dedicated to the hospital’s patron Saint, St Finbarr, in celebration of the Saints Feast Open Day at the hospital.
Both works were located outdoors in the grounds of St Finbarr’s Hospital and were temporary in nature. Through collaboration with the priest, congregation, hospital patients, staff and visitors; many prayer flags and intentions were incorporated into the artwork installations.
Nic Piper worked in partnership with Marie in facilitating both these projects.
BloomDublin
During 2008 & 2009 Greencrafts Marie Brett was invite to display sculpture in partnership with Nic Piper at Bloom in the Park, Ireland's largest gardening, food & family event in Phoenix Park, Dublin. In 2009 a series of their sculptors were showcased as part of Failte Ireland's Garden in association with garden design Fiann O'Nulon. In 2008 their sculpture was selected to be part of the event Sculpture Trail in association with The Crafts Council of Ireland.
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Opening Ceremony - Fire Labyrinth
