This has been a very difficult eighteen months for those who have struggled with isolation, illness and loss, but I have tried in my panel to focus on some of the wider effects of the coronavirus pandemic. With fewer cars on the road, fewer aeroplanes in the sky, and pub closures during lockdown, the world became a much quieter place for those of us living in cities. The air became cleaner, the sky bluer, and birdsong seemed louder against the exclusion of man-made noise.  

My panel depicts a circular window looking out onto a rural landscape, and reflects the temporary withdrawal of humankind from the outdoor environment. The landscape is constructed from layered hand-dyed fabrics, with simple hand embroidery adding detail. The haiku around the edges suggests that nature was able to thrive as a result of our self-isolation inside our homes. The circle suggests timelessness, completion and connection, framing nature in an eternally-turning cycle of life, death and rebirth. Perhaps our time in seclusion has allowed us to reflect on how much a part of nature we really are.