Withy Lore at the Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery
1 March - 30 June
Exploring the critically endangered craft of withy pot making, celebrating makers past and present and preserving its heritage for the future.
For centuries withy pots – traditional crab or lobster pots, largely made from willow – were a common sight around the South West coast. Today, only a handful of withy pot makers remain, forming a vital connection to the past. Their skills, stories, knowledge and the pots themselves form the heart of the Withy Lore exhibition.
Delivered in partnership with Storylines, who specialise in creatively gathering and sharing stories, and conceptual multi-media artist Anna Pope, the exhibition uses a variety of artforms to celebrate and share this unique craft and its heritage.
Withy pots were traditionally handmade by fisherfolk during the winter months, when adverse weather kept them onshore and the cut willow was at its best. It was also during this time that the craft was passed onto the next generation.
Cast into the sea in spring with the hope of luring a precious catch, withy pots typically only lasted one season, naturally biodegrading to leave no trace. Sadly this cycle, so in tune with nature’s seasonal rhythms, became broken with the introduction of modern plastic and metal pots during the late 20th century.
Artist Anna Pope has always had a fascination with the connections between people and nature. Her partner’s father was a Cornish fisherman who sadly passed away before meeting their two children, meaning his stories could not be passed on.
In light of this loss, withy pots took on a deeper meaning for Anna. ‘’The craft was quickly fading, and with it, a precious part of my children’s heritage which holds values and principles I would like to teach them and an important sense of belonging.’’
Within the Withy Lore exhibition, Anna shares a story she has written and illustrated in response to research carried out by Storylines, Cornwall College Camborne, and the withy pot community. She uses her exquisite salt water etched copper jewellery and Intaglio printing to illustrate the story and to help highlight and document key elements of the craft.
The Withy Lore exhibition will also showcase a series of films made by Storylines showing withy pot makers from around Cornwall as they skilfully weave pots. These films interlace footage with personal stories and reflections. Sarah Trevillion from Storylines says, “We loved hearing stories about this fascinating craft. There’s always so much to learn from the past and we hope that as well as celebrating this unique part of our coastal heritage, the Withy Lore exhibition also ignites conversations about the future and our relationship with the environment.”
Look carefully at a withy pot and you will see subtle differences in technique, form and material, telling us about the maker, how it was used and the place it was made. With many styles now lost, the Withy Lore project has been documenting those that remain. These will be shared in the exhibition through photography, illustration, printmaking and withy pots themselves, providing a special opportunity to discover their unique characteristics.
Withy Pot Barnacles is a large-scale installation made in collaboration with the withy pot community and inspired by a photograph from Penberth Cove, showing the shoreline scattered with withy pots. Children from Marazion school added to the exhibition, producing woven artworks that were inspired by local stories of pot makers.
A families day on March 15th 2025 will provide further opportunity for people of all ages to get creative and weave, chat and learn about the traditional craft of withy pot making.
The Withy Lore project has been made possible with thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, FEAST Cornwall, Cornwall Community Foundation, a UK Government and Konsel Kernow Intangible Cultural Heritage Grant, the St.Aubyn Foundation and the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust.
Storylines is a Community Interest Company which supports people, organisations and communities to unearth and creatively share personal stories. They have delivered creative story-sharing projects for a range of organisations across the arts, heritage, environmental and culture sectors. “We all have stories and there is great value in listening to each other. Listening helps us learn, empathise and connect, and we believe that this form of connection is much needed in today’s busy world.”
Anna Pope is a conceptual multimedia artist who enjoys creating art work that tells a story of plants and their special connection with people by exploring their links with craft, traditions and communities. By using a mix of mediums she creates artworks that tell these stories. ‘’Through my work I hope to share my interest in the beautiful connection people have with their heritage, often from a slower-paced bygone era, when people were in tune with their natural surroundings and materials used in craft.’’
Find out more here