What I’m Investigating:
Based on the historical example of The Wind in the Willows (Grahame, K. 1908), how can whimsy and nostalgia be used to reconnect a contemporary audience to nature and traditional skills? What are the benefits of this reconnection?
Kenneth Grahame first wrote The Wind in the Willows as a series of letters to his young son when Grahame was on holiday in Cornwall.
Many children’s books of this time were also first composed as letters, for example Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902).
How you can help:
I’d love it if you would write your memories and experiences of encountering The Wind in the Willows (whether that’s the book, audiobook, films, play etc.) as a little letter using the form below. By filling in the form, you are agreeing to the terms & conditions of the project.
Suggested prompts you could include are ‘your present age vs how old you were when you encountered The Wind in the Willows’, ‘Do you have a copy of the book? Details of edition’, ‘Where did you get your copy from? (was it a present etc.)’, ‘What does the story mean to you? Can you remember how it made you feel, and has that changed?’.
What will I do with your letter?
I plan on collecting them as an archive reflecting the social impact of such a famous book. I intend to use them to make origami boats that I hope will be part of an educational/commercial exhibition that reflects my current body of work. I hope this process brings happy memories to mind as we share in a love of books.
Letter Form:
Terms & Conditions:
By writing a letter, you agree that I can use it for future development of my project. As my project grows, I may in the future choose to use this work for commercial purposes, sharing online, exhibitions, printed illustrated work, authorial work, or wherever it might lead me.
I reserve the right to use this work and research in this way.
By submitting the form, you also agree to automatically receive my Snail Mail email Newsletter to keep you updated on the project & any exhibitions that may come from it so you can have the opportunity to see your letter in person!
