Puddling Clay

Summer in the Peak District and it's Well Dressing time.
Wooden frames are constructed and covered with clay.
A design is sketched on paper, often of a religious theme, and this is traced onto the clay. The picture is then filled in with natural materials, predominantly flower petals and mosses, but also beans, seeds and small cones.
Here we see Patricia Bryant Puddling clay. This is the name given to the process of refining the clay.
This year there seemed to be a lot of string present.
It's great to see the beginning of the process where everything at the moment looks grey and messy.
The final dressings always look incredibly colourful.
I'm reminded of the ugly duckling turning into a beautiful swan.