Make Your Mark with Nature

Oak Ink and Handmade Paper 

We’re launching a community project that revives the ancient art of making ink and paper using natural materials found right here in our local landscape. At the heart of this is the oak tree – specifically the strange, round growths you might spot on its branches or leaves called oak apples. These galls, created by tiny wasps, are rich in tannins and have been used for centuries to make a deep, lasting ink – the kind once used to write royal decrees, medieval manuscripts, and even the Magna Carta. Alongside this, we’ll be experimenting with traditional paper-making techniques using local plant fibres and recycled materials to create beautiful, sustainable pages. 

We’d love you to be part of this journey. Would you be interested in learning how to make your own ink and paper from scratch? We will be running hands-on workshops where you’ll be guided through the process and help build a new kind of creative connection with our local environment. If you’re out and about and happen to spot any oak apples (especially in late summer or autumn), please collect a few and bring them along – they’ll become part of the story we’re making together.