Exploring Birdhouses with Eve Cromwell

Our four Common Ground sessions exploring birdhouses with Eve Cromwell came to an end last week, bringing a thoughtful and productive series to a close. Across the sessions, people tested out different approaches, from following the classic instructions in the birdhouse book to trying out more experimental ideas. The space became a place for practical problem-solving, sharing techniques, and getting things done.

We were joined by Amin Gheisari, who introduced paper-based bird designs and model-making methods, adding a new dimension to the workshops. Nell Catchpole introduced us to sound recording and audio experimentation, gathering material for Common Ground Sound and encouraging participants to listen to the environment in new ways.

Some of the finished birdhouses are heading straight into people’s gardens, while others will form part of our community garden once the site is ready. We’ll share updates when the birdhouses are installed and when the birds start using them.

Thank you to everyone who joined us over the last few weeks. It’s been a joy to make and learn together.

The next Common Ground session on Saturday, 6th December, is led by artist Alia Gargum, who will introduce her practice and the sculpture she is creating for the Common Ground garden. Her work, What I Remember About Libya, funded by the Henry Moore Foundation Winter Grant 2025, reflects on nationality, displacement, and life under authoritarian rule. The sculpture will act as a focal point in the garden, encouraging visitors to consider how identity is shaped by memory, place, and movement.

During the session, Alia will invite attendees to think about the design of our micro-farm in relation to the sculpture, exploring how the layout and planting of the space might connect with its themes. We’ll look at design ideas that complement Alia’s sculpture and support the future character of the garden. Younger participants will also have the chance to create their own small-scale sculpture ideas using modelling clay.

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