We’ve been privileged to be Folk by the Oak’s chosen charity for many years but this summer we witnessed something truly spectacular on the main stage. We hand over to Emma from the Folk by the Oak team to tell you more…
“In 2018 Folk by the Oak Festival were overjoyed to commission Spell Songs, a musical companion piece to The Lost Words by author Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris; a celebrated ‘spell book’ rich with poetic rhythms and imagined birdsong that naturally invited a musical response. Spell Songs gathered together eight remarkable musicians whose music engages deeply with landscape and nature, to respond to the creatures, art and language of The Lost Words.
The result has been beyond all expectations, with standing ovations at sell out gigs including the Southbank Centre and Hay Festival, reviews for the recently released CD Book ranging from “beguiling” (The Sunday Times****), “a delightful homage to nature” (The Times****), “a work of vision and brilliance” (fRoots*****) and “complex and beautiful, an absolute joy from start to finish.” (RnR*****).
Each performance has featured Jackie inking otters live on stage, while reading the acrostic ‘Otter’ spell from the original book. Jackie took to the stage again with the ‘Spell Singers’ at Folk by the Oak in July and the result is a little piece of history, two beautifully inked otters that Jackie has generously decided to auction for Willow!
Since the festival Jackie has adorned the painting with a gold oak leaf and the word otter is picked out in white gold, making this a truly original collectors piece.”
The Auction dates will run from Friday 20th September – Friday 18th October. If you’d like to bid for this remarkable piece, please email [email protected] with your offer.
Please note, as this is a highly collectable, unique and original work of art the reserve price has been set at £500.
From everyone at Willow, we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Folk by the Oak for the continued support and to Jackie Morris for her incredible generosity.