Plants of Arrival: Drawing Belonging Through “Weeds”

While caring for the community garden, we have encountered many plants commonly described as “weeds”, which arrived unexpectedly, rooted themselves, and became part of the garden’s ecology and shared landscape. Rather than seeing them simply as unwanted plants, this workshop invites participants to spend time with these often- overlooked companions and think about what they might teach us about arrival, adaptation, resilience, belonging, and coexistence.

Workshop: Plants of Arrival – ink making, drawing, and collective mapping

Together we will forage “weeds” growing in the community garden and learn about their ecological roles, histories, and uses. Participants will make botanical inks and pigments using the “weeds” collected from the community garden and use them to draw their observations of the plants as well as memories, emotions, or reflections on belonging and coexistence. In the end, participants will draw a collective map of the garden, recording where the plants were found and sharing stories inspired by them.

This workshop is family friendly, and children are warmly welcome.

All materials provided.

About the artist: 

Chengwei Xia 

The workshop is led by artist Chengwei Xia with support from the ESEA Community. Gardening Volunteer Team. Chengwei Xia is an artist from Sichuan, China, currently based in London. Her practice moves across drawing, writing, and making, approaching art as a slow, relational process of co-presence, care, and cultivation. 

The ESEA Community gardening volunteer team is brought together by a shared love of gardening, plants, and community care.

Supported Tickets:

If you're experiencing financial hardship and even a Community Ticket isn't affordable, please email esea.offshoots@gmail.com. We have a limited number of supported tickets available and will do our best to help.