Watch: Mystery Rain Rods
The search for springs and underground waterways led to dowsing, an ancient skill controversially still used today by agricultural workers, water companies, engineers, divination workers and enthusiasts. This craft featured heavily in a series of workshops at Holyrood Academy, during…
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Walk
I led a performative water walk on 29th April as the final project event. Thirty people of all ages came. Here is an outline of the walk: This walk is part of Water Histories (with Somerset Art Works) where I’ve…
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Showcase
Water Histories at Chard Spring Festival with Anna Chrystal Stephens. A response to the ‘spirit of water’ in Chard, researching and referencing the heritage of water in the town. A Culturally Chard project coordinated by Somerset Art Works, April 2022 -…
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Grist
Beside Bath Street and The Minnows, in the area between Fore Street and Holyrood Street, a spring emerges. The spring water collects in Mill Pond beside some stone remains of mill buildings, here stood a grist mill which ground grains…
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Riverbed
Riverbed booklet is here! A publication containing a selection of work from water histories workshops. Risograph printed at Footprinters Workers Coop. The artwork in this zine was made by members of the Nightingale group and members of the public who…
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Join us in Chard
Join us to explore Water Histories in Chard – a project by artist Anna Chrystal Stephens in collaboration with Chard communities, exploring the significance of water in the town and the surrounding landscape. Culturally Chard Spring Festival 27-29 April The Chard…
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Print Sculptures
These will be on display as part of the Water Histories showcase on 28th April, Guildhall, Chard
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Workshops
Work from sessions with the Nightingale group and Chard Together event русло річки Workshop with the Ukrainian group using homemade inks to paint Chard stones found during the project. We put the stones together to create a riverbed. I also…
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Mystery Rain Rods
A short film made in collaboration with students from Holyrood Academy, Chard. Production Update: Since finishing the workshop sessions with Holyrood students I have been working on the film in my studio; selecting clips, organising images, overlaying sounds. Finally, I…
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Announcement! Final Project Event: 28th April 2023
There will be a showcase for the Water Histories project on 28th April at Culturally Chard Spring Festival Chard Guildhall, 14 Fore St, Chard TA20 1PH Opening 10.30am – 3.30pm Intro talks at 11.30am and 2pm Admission free, refreshments available. A…
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More on Water Finding: Pendulums, Rods and Skills
There are a few different techniques for using pendulums but the suggested basic method in The Diviner’s Handbook is to gently swing the pendulum back and forth as a ‘neutral’ setting and watch for it to either start rotating or…
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Pendulums
I met with Jon Warfield (dowser) and Gerrie Bews + co from Chard museum for a water divining walk around Chard town centre. We attempted to locate the underground streams with dowsing rods and by using other above-ground signifiers like…
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Film Production
Lots of material has been generated during the sessions at Holyrood Academy. Firstly stills and short clips from our initial water finding workshop, then later longer pieces of footage and sound recordings as the students explored the idea of water…
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Sluices
Project documentation; visit to the the inner workings of Chard Highstreet Streams, and how the sluices are used to control the flow. The white plug-like thing is a sluice gate!
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Costumes
Using their water maps and historical images of water-finding techniques for reference, the students designed and made costumes to use in our water finding activities and filming. The tunics and cloaks were decorated with water patterns, our dowsing lore, elements…
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Dowsing
Dowsing is a form of divination which has been used for thousands of years to locate water underground. I worked with Jon Warfield, a water diviner to learn more about this ancient skill as he demonstrated techniques for my group…
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Chard Reservoir
Photographic contact sheets. Project documentation; Chard Reservoir. The image above shows one of the sluices that control the water levels. Reservoir environment: Reservoir Flora:
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Time Travelling Through Oceans and Running Through Conduits
First blog post from Anna Chrystal Stephens – Somerset Art Works Lead Artist.Working on the Water Histories project has been exciting and expansive, a journey through local geology, through the Chard town centre and out to the reservoir, through industrial…
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Water Histories 