A film made in September 2016 in response to an invitation to share an open studio event in Vienna with Austrian artist Anna Stangl.

Over 2 days I filmed myself picking Bramble fruits (blackberries) growing on the hedges around my home.  All the fruits the viewer can see my hand picking were gathered and made in to a cordial which I took with me to Vienna. Visitors to the studio event were offered a small drink of this bramble cordial while they watched the film.

The soundtrack of the film is mainly recordings of songbirds who live around the farm captured over the same two days. I have become really concerned this year that the number of birds seems to be declining. A nest of young swallows just disappeared this year and I am wondering how much this had to do with falling insect numbers.  So in the film I try and celebrate the diversity of insects who are, just like me, harvesting the dark fruits.

Link to the film on vimeo: Brambles