Guided By Nature is run by me, Caroline Schofield, an artist and eco-therapist. I work and live in North Wales, and also collaborate on projects in the North West of England.

My creative workshops focus on using handmade materials found in nature or grown locally. During workshops we create with or make our own inks, paints and paper made entirely from plants and earth pigments. The images we create are expressive responses to our felt connection with the natural world. Participants are encouraged to have fun and experiment, to develop a deep respect for and curiosity about the materials we use and to be at once serious and playful in their creative endeavours. Anyone can join my workshops because I believe there is an artist in everyone!

In 2022 I qualified with an advanced diploma in eco-psychology and nature-based practice; this was an in-depth, in person accredited course over three years with Natural Academy. I now bring together eco-psychology and creativity to explore the link between people, the wider nature world and planetary wellbeing. Eco-Psychology focuses on the emotional connection between humans and the ecological world, I aim to express this creatively and support others to do the same.

With a BA in Art and Social context, over 20 years’ experience working in the mental health sector, as an arts facilitator and within community education I have an immense amount of experience to share. My own arts practice is a continuous experimentation in foraging for, growing and processing natural pigment as a means to building relationship with place and more than human life. Recent workshops have been for North Wales Wildlife Trust, Conwy Mind, Museums Wales, Amser i Siared and Galeri. I also deliver training and development for a nature and wellbeing project in Lancashire which aims to widen community participation in nature connection activities, funded by the National Lottery.

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I'm very pleased to say that my application to be resident artist at The Booth, in Shetland's ancient capital Scalloway has been accepted by @waspsstudios. It's the wee blue building right on the shore! It's hard to think of a more inspiring place to be during the long nights of winter and I am looking forward to continuing my research into the Alchemical theme of 'Nigredo' The Blackening'. I'll be here for winter solstice, christmas and new year, a time when I love to slow right down, be quiet and alone in the generative darkness and probably the wild weather too! 🖤
There's just an insane amount of flowers growing at the moment. Coreopsis and Scabious create such a fantastic range of colours; deep oranges, blues and purples. And of course they provide food for our little friends. I am looking forward to using these to dye fleece for needle felting with @carysanne_art and @jtemplemorris at the end of October. And drying them for future workshops, I wonder what people might be keen to learn to make with them, paint, ink, dye? I will start thinking about workshops for later in the year soon, let me know what there might be enthusiasm for and I will see what I can do!
I know I am weird but this is just a thrilling way to spend my Friday night. Finally got the bone white to be really white! It needed to be hot, hot, hot! Working on 'Albedo' 'The Whitening' - for my Alchemical Arts series. This is the same pigment our ancestors would have used on pottery and cave paintings. It feels incredible to work with this pigment. This was originally sheep vertebrae I found in the foothills of the Carneddau behind my house. 🤍 Warning ⚠️ working with raw pigment whilst 'natural' requires attention to health and safety please don't try to duplicate this without understanding methods involved!!
Hey! We have one place come available on this free Creative Nature workshop on 18th and 25th August with Conwy Mind. You don't need any experience just come along relax in nature and have fun! Please contact Conwy Mind directly to book. We will make inks and dye out of beautiful summer flowers and create our own little keepsake to take home. 💚😍
The problem is when you get into creating your own art materials with natural pigment those plasticy acrylics, synthetic colour and over priced art materials that you have no connection with, start to feel a bit gross and yukky. It's been five years now since I started with natural local pigment. It's like changing from fast food take aways to organic local produce you can't go back or maybe I am just snob now! Just waiting for a community art project to pick it up so it doesn't get wasted. I will then have more space for earth, rock, clay, bone and my dried dye plants everything that makes my heart sing. ❤️😍 I feel lucky to have the opportunity to indulge in the long process of making colour from raw materials it's so satisfying.
There's just a few more weeks left to book onto this threshold course in eco-psychology. Essential introductory learning for anyone wishing to deliver professional, high quality nature based workshops with confidence. Great for upskilling or a career change. I will be co-facilitating this with Rhonda Brandrick co-founder of @naturalacademy_ecopsychology and Safiya Elgindy @the.natureofhealing and can vouch for this in-depth, top notch, accredited training which has been a game changer for me both personally and professionally. The venue Middlewood Trust, a private off grid site in North Lancashire is a stunning setting for an immersive learning experience in nature. Email <noscript data-emo="SI3YRHB5mDi7tYklmI0_9xgc6T3jtYtO">Enable JavaScript to view protected content.</noscript> for more info and to book.
Here goes...I'm a wee bit excited to share the details of my first residential arts weekend at the splendid @trigonos_nantlle later this year. It is part of a series of four seasonal workshops during 2006/27 called 'Alchemical Arts'. In the November retreat you will learn how to make your own paints and inks out of natural materials; earth, oak and bone pigment, and make paper with nettles, to create your very own personalised 'Winter Book'. This will be an eco-therapeutic arts experience where you will have time to wander out in the wild landscape and be supported to explore how to 'winter'....how to embrace generative darkness and all that it teaches us. Join us for fine company, in a stunning location, and fully catered for. What a gift for yourself! I am so pleased to say that Safiya from @the.natureofhealing will be joining as a guest facilitator, she brings so much wisdom and creativity. Places are already filling up, I haven't got my linktree up yet so just DM me and I will send you the Trigonos link to all the info and how to book 😘
Burning Bone 🔥😲Bone white is one of the oldest known pigments in human history, dating back to the Neolithic era. Its quite hard to find a natural source of white pigment in North Wales, no chalk here. Peeling the skin off eggshells is too tedious even for me
Photos from Wild Wednesday with @northwaleswildlifetrust in Dolgarrog. We made paper with stalks of Himalayan balsam, and used the ink to take some leaf prints. I was so pleased to finally be able to create a printing ink that is fully plant based so just washes down the sink. No plasticy acrylic, no oil or need for solvents and it was a lovely gold colour. We ended the session by making little handmade books of prints covered with handmade paper! One child said 'I am so proud of what I have made' ! 🥰 Isn't that a special feeling? I think we all feel like that when we are creative. Even the workshops I do for adults are about being absorbed in playful creativity, it's absolutely the best. Thank you lots @markmcnulty for the photos.
I can't really keep up with the social media at the moment. Today I was in bed with a migraine but still working on updating my website and funding applications. Anyway I have been doing all sorts that I want to share. So here's a little random update .... Firstly Woad!! A teany tiny bit of blue woad pigment more precious than gold me thinks what a palava but it's very gorgeous. 💙 I also made printing ink that is purely plant based no nasty plastic acrylic, no oil, no solvents and it works 👏 see the goldy leaf prints!! I tried it out yesterday at @northwaleswildlifetrust workshop with the kids and it was a great success 😍 I have been harvesting dye plants like mad, Coreopsis and Scabious, sometimes I can't harvest tho because other beings are busy feeding off the art materials ! 💚 Plus making paper from beautiful summer grass and dyeing with marigolds. No wonder I need a duvet day, sometimes I just hit a wall, can't keep up with myself 🤪
Really interesting to learn about flax at Archipelago Festival of Colour last weekend. What a beautiful plant and material. I'd like to experiment with paper making and creating bookbinding thread with flax. With @kathykirwan_theartofnature @talu.earth @willow_and_lore_farm

Current Projects

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Recent Testimonial

Thank you for facilitating pilot programmes for the GLLM Potensial Programme on behalf of TEC Wales in academic year 2023/24. It was an absolute pleasure to attend the last Wellbeing in Nature session in Bangor, and I was humbled to hear how much the learners gained from attending the sessions.

Your nature-based programmes offer a well-rounded approach to learning and personal development, combining physical, mental and social benefits. They stimulate curiosity, creativity, and resilience. It is inspiring to see participants re-ignite their love for learning and connection with nature.

Thank you as well for your professionalism and promptness in delivering these courses. We look forward to collaborating with you over the coming years.

Sylvette Jones, Director, TEC Wales - Apr 2025

Professional Accreditations

  • City & Guilds - Level Four Delivering Adult Learning

  • City University London - MA Organisations & Social Change

  • Iron Mill College - Certificate in Counselling

  • Natural Academy - Advanced diploma - Eco-Psychology and Nature Based Practice

  • The Coaching Academy - Advanced Diploma in Personal Performance Coaching

  • University of Wales - Postgraduate Certificate SEN Specific Learning Difficulties

  • City of Bristol College - Level Four Delivering Adult Learning City & Guilds