The Spirit of the Rag and the Corn is a research residency by visual artist Jenny Steele at Rural Arts, Thirsk in Winter 2024 and Spring 2025. Jenny will be investigating the history of Yorkshire heritage hand crafts and folklore to inform the development of a large-scale artwork at Rural Arts which will also include an exhibition of the proposed artwork in April 2025 in the Courthouse.
Jenny is particularly interested in finding out information about the history of rag rugging and corn dolly making in Yorkshire, as well as wider stories of Yorkshire folklore tales and ‘apotropaic’ objects, that were used to ward off evil, such as plants tied on doorways, markings, objects related to witches, spells, giants, fairies, spirits and ghosts.
For example, corn dollies, such as the ‘Yorkshire Spiral’ were made from last year’s crop and planted back into the earth to keep the ‘Spirit of the Corn’ happy to ensure bountiful future harvests.
How you can be involved
Jenny will be working on site on Wednesday 6th & Thursday 7th November at Rural Arts Courthouse and she would love to meet you, hear your stories and view any craft objects you have made from the local heritage crafts of rag rugging and corn dollies over a cup of tea and biscuits.
She would like to view examples of local corn dollies and rag rugs to inform her research to develop a large participatory artwork. These local craft objects could have been made by yourself, or perhaps were gifted to you. Jenny is interested in learning about local techniques, histories and stories associated with these.
Jenny would also love to hear about wider folklore in Yorkshire, in particular objects and stories that were used to ward off evil in historic times, or any myths about witches, giants, spirits, water or ghosts.
She is interested in having an informal chat, taking a photo of your object, hearing your story, and only if you are happy, recording your voice to inform her research.
If you’d prefer to book in a time slot with Jenny we would be more than happy to arrange this with you. Just give us a call or ask for more details at The Courthouse cafe. Otherwise, just drop in and say hello!
About Jenny Steele
Jenny Steele is a Scottish artist who has been living in Manchester since 2011, and her current practice uses heritage crafts of hand weaving, basket weaving and passementerie to create sculptures that explore ideas of ritual, grief, festive celebration and belonging.
Prior to that, Jenny’s work largely used processes of drawing, painting and printmaking and focused on the restorative effects of coastal and nature environments. Recent commissions include Textile City for Museum of Science and Industry (2022), The Joy of Union, MET, Preston City (2022), Our Library of Light, At The Library, Crosby (2019) and The Seafront, Art B&B (2019).
Recent residencies include Minoterie 21, Brittany (2024), Arnis Residency, Arnis, Germany (2022) Cove Park, Scotland (2021), Fountainhead Arts, Miami, USA (2017) and This House for Building, The Tetley, Leeds (2017). Recent solo exhibitions and projects include; The Maiden Voyage, George’s Dock Plaza, Liverpool, 2019, Why be exotic in private?, The Foundry Gallery, London (2018-19), This Building for Hope, The Midland, Morecambe (2017), and An Architecture of Joy, Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool (2016). Jenny is a graduate of Goldsmiths MFA (2007) and BA Fine Art DOJCAD, Dundee (2002).
You can see and read more about her work here www.jennysteele.co.uk