“On this trip I was hoping for a chance to explore somewhere new, a chance to visit a country I had never been to before. I hoped I would meet some interesting people and have a chance to have a brain break and think about my work in a more objective way with a bit of distance. I also hoped I'd get to drink some good beer and eat some nice chocolate because it was Belgium after all! Apart from the beautiful surroundings, the chance to connect with the other artists and share our experiences made a really big impression on me. I learned so many new things and came away with a lot of ideas for new materials to use and directions my work could go in - it was like an intensive creative bootcamp!

I was surprised by how much I loved the quiet. I grew up close to the countryside and as soon as I possibly could I wanted to get away to somewhere busier and noisier, but being back in those surroundings felt very natural. I can imagine getting a lot more work done somewhere with less distractions! It always takes me a bit of time to decompress after leaving the city and the quiet and beautiful sunsets slowed my thinking down and gave me pause for the first time in a long time, so my piece is a bit of a tribute to that.

On our first proper evening we went on a guided walk in the woods at dusk to hear the deers mating calls. Deer grow a new set of antlers each year and before we set off on our walk we had a chance to examine some discarded antlers - I doubt I'll get a chance to do that again. I had to include some Carambars stuffed in the characters pocket because they were amongst the refreshments served and I had a pocketful of wrappers after the walk!”