26th June - 6th July 2026
Visit the Bobbin Room this Summer to see a pop-up exhibition and take part in workshops based on a brand new project from artists David and Nicola. The exhibition will include storyboards from The Tree Spirit book, original paintings and illustrations, and wood carvings of some of the woodland characters featured in the story.
About the project
It began three years ago when ‘Up Front’ housed an exhibition of masks and workshops with mask-maker David Griffiths. During the occupancy, a violent storm felled a Lime tree in the Up Front landscape. Whilst clearing the debris, the idea of using this dramatic incident and the wood, to create and carve the characters for a new puppet play, was discussed enthusiastically by John, Elaine and David.
A year and a half later, David asked Nicola Turner, a fine artist and illustrator, if she would be interested in working for such a project. Fortunately… she was, and “Tree Spirit’, the story, exhibition and puppet play was born.
The story
A large, very old Oak, rooted beside a green lane, hunches wearily between a tumbled dry stone wall and a wildly outgrown Hawthorn. Behind both, a wide acreage of ploughed field that was once a large wood, the remains of which is visible in the distance.
The Oak is the home of a ‘family’ of creatures, most of whom were orphaned when the trees were felled. She survived because she was old, very old and of little use to the developers. It was also a meeting place in the wood for picnickers, walkers and children, from the local community, who loved to sit or play within its armchair roots, and who had successfully campaigned to preserve it.
Rabbits, moles, birds, butterflies, bees and mice lived happily together within and around its canopy. But recently, for whatever reason, they had become so selfish and unpleasant to each other that a very unhappy Tree no longer wanted them to live with her. When they ignored her wish for them to leave, in despair, she called her friend Wind to help her. Wind, delighted to be asked,, stormed so enthusiastically, that he left a scene of abject chaos and destruction behind him, creating a giant pile of debris covering anyone who chose to ignore him.
Tree was mortified at the devastation Wind had left behind. Wearily, guiltily, she started to look for signs of life amidst the rubble. Eventually, one by one, her erstwhile ‘family’ emerged, bruised, broken, but alive, guiltily reflecting upon their behaviour and looking to Tree to help them begin slowly building the trust that had so carefully been created by Tree in the past. This is the challenge that unfolds.
Opening times: 10am-4pm Monday to Sunday (CLOSED ON WEDNESDAY 1ST JULY). FREE ENTRY.
ACCESS & CONTACT INFORMATION
The exhibition is based in the Bobbin Room in Red Lane Mill off Water Lane and is accessible with a level entrance. There are accessible toilets in the building.
Free parking, included limited accessible parking is available around the Mill site and on Farsley Town Street.
Assistance dogs are permitted.
This exhibition is being organised and managed by Nicola Turner & David Griffiths. Please contact Nicola at griffturn@hotmail.com if you have any questions about the exhibition.
Ticket sales for the workshops and puppet show performances are being managed by the Gallery team. Please email arts@sunnybankmills.co.uk with any enquiries.
