Welcome!
My name is Yarrow, I’m an artist and facilitator living on the East coast of Scotland.
I host creative spaces, research radical textile histories and make beautiful things from reclaimed materials.
Rituals have always been very important to me. I love living a slow life, enjoying the beauty of queer domesticity and indulging fully in small pleasures.
In the last few years rehabilitation after an accident and the deep solitude of lockdowns have led me to a much more committed movement and creative practice. I’m not interested in “going back to normal” within myself or my communities and much prefer to dream of new ways of being in the world.
My lived experience of chronic pain & disability has helped me to develop deep reverence for creative resilience and meaningful integration. I am curious about how our stories live in our bodies and how these stories can lead to liberation. For me there is something about working with textile waste and repurposed materials that illuminates this strange and beautiful process of re-imagination. It has helped me to begin a new chapter and return to education in a new way.
As a student of culture and heritage at the University of the Highlands & Islands I am exploring folklore and needlework practices as a way to make meaning, express love and find belonging.
In my work as a facilitator I’m excited to share accessible movement and creative practices within a trauma informed, queer and trans affirming framework.
And in my practice as an artist I am weaving all these things together in playful and improvisational ways to make soft spells for hard times.
Background, inspiration & qualifications
Academic
- MA in creative media from the University of Brighton
- BA combining mythology, philosophy & creative writing from the Open University
- Currently enrolled – BA in culture & heritage at the University of the Highlands & Islands
Movement, bodywork & ritual
- Pilates teacher training with APPI – ongoing
- Healing Sexual Trauma: A Professional Training in Trauma-Informed Care with the Breathe Network and movement for trauma training level one with Jane Clapp
- Breathwork facilitator training level 1, 2 & 3 with David Elliot
- 200 hr yoga teacher training with the Sivananda school, yoga therapy training with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli and a thai yoga massage training at the Mudita school with Ralf Marzen
- Life celebrancy training with the OBOD & death midwife training at the University of Vermont
I also owe deep graditute for education and inspiration to Lara Veleda Vesta, Alexis Cunningfolk, adriene maree brown, Zak Foster, Heidi Parkes, Nancy Antenucci, Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Marissa Correia, Eliza Swan, Dori Midnight, the Gee’s Bend quilters, Sherri Lynn Wood, Melissa Word, Danette Relic, Christi Johnson, Anni Albers, Franesca Woodman, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Claire Wellesley-Smith, the landscapes of East Scotland and many others.
Scope of practice
My classes and courses are here to support you in building a creativity and movement practice that works for you. I care about accessibility and am offering adaptations and options wherever possible. Please note that I am not a medical professional though, I am therefore only able to offer education and entertainment, not diagnosis or treatment. I need to say this: you should consult a doctor before starting any exercise program, especially if you have existing health concerns or disabilities.
All practices I offer are always optional – you know your body best and can choose what feels right for you. Please only do what you feel comfortable doing and let me know if there is anything I can do to support you.
I am not using gendered language or diet talk in any of the spaces I facilitate and believe in unconditional body and self acceptance as a path towards liberation.
My values
Earth-care
I work with reclaimed and eco-friendly materials
Community
I care about access & inclusion and the magic of small groups
Joy
I like to emphasise playfulness, pleasure and exploration
As seen in
Making Conversation podcast // Speaking from the body podcast // Weave podcast// Living Open podcast// Wild Elixir podcast // Holistic Business podcast // Open Magic podcast // Home-Body podcast // The Sacred Wheel podcast // Moontent podcast // Sex Magic Society blog // Grow from centre podcast // The Snort & Cackle podcast