Ancient Sea is a video installation re-imagining the countryside surrounding Ham Hill, South Somerset, as the sea. Millions of years ago the local limestone, known as Hamstone, was formed under water. Fossil remains of ammonites can be found in the fields around Ham Hill. Using photographic layering techniques, Carolyn merges the land with the sea. Local community groups were invited to participate in the project development, including a fossil walk with a geologist. The final work is installed in St Mary’s Church, which is made from the local Hamstone. Churches are said to be connected to the sea, as the word Nave comes from the Latin – Navis, which means Ship. In this installation the ancient sea has been brought back to the land and into the church. For the artist, being by the sea and swimming all year round is a kind of sanctuary. ‘Ancient Sea’ includes footage filmed by Carolyn whilst swimming, blended with imagery from the local landscape. All of the drone filming of the Ham Hill area is by local photographer, videographer and drone pilot Ian Lishman. The film soundtrack is composed by Ralph Tayler-Webb.

Part of the Somerset Art Works Micro Commission programme. In 2022 7 artists/artist collectives in Somerset were selected through a call out to make new work that responds to the Art Weeks 2022 theme Sanctuary. Their projects include installation, performance and participatory events, in a diverse range of media such as sound, moving images, photography and live art. The commission aims to support artists to consider how they connect with audiences, find new approaches and challenges, explore the boundaries of their own talent and contribute to their artistic development. Funded by Arts Council England.

https://somersetartworks.org.uk/artweeks22carolyn/

In August 2014 Keir Strickland (archaeologist) and I collaborated on a joint research trip to the abandoned island of Swona. We were also joined by George Geddes and Alison McCaig from Historic Environment Scotland. Here is a link to a blog charting our progress, research and findings: a-n.co.uk/blogs/art-and-archaeology-a-new-collaborations-bursary-project

As a photographic artist, I’m interested between the relationship between photography and archaeology. For this a-n New Collaborative Bursary project I collaborated with archaeologist Keir Strickland, whose primary research interests are the collapse of complex societies, landscape abandonment, and the archaeology of islands. Together we conducted a survey of the abandoned island of Swona, off the coast of Orkney. A New Collaboration Bursary, from a-n Artists Information Co, funded an initial research trip to the island in August 2014. My art practice explores home, place, belonging, belief and folklore. In 2013 I worked as an Artist in Residence at a longhouse excavation in the Highlands, commissioned by Timespan Museum. I am interested in the parallels of the process of excavation, of peeling back the layers of earth to reveal evidence of the past and the indexical quality of a photograph to record reality.

During this research trip to the island of Swona I used video to document the abandoned houses and their position against the surrounding sea. The resulting work is entitled ‘Flood’ and explores specifics of the story of Swona from a poetic viewpoint: the hurried abandonment, the intimate size of the island, the proximity to the restless sea, and of nature taking over the domestic spaces. I use multiple exposure techniques in the film piece to depict the sea slowly encroaching on the land and houses.

Flood (2016), Carolyn Lefley, High definition digital video, dimensions variable, 8’46

Created during a residency at Camberwell College of Arts (AA2A scheme: September 2011 - May 2012).

This is my first film work, having previously only worked with stills. In January 2012 there were some amazingly strong winds causing the branches on the trees on Telegraph Hill in South London to thrash, bend and be moved by this invisible force, the wind. I decided to go out in the gale to capture this movement. I found that by composing the frame as I would do naturally, the branches danced and bowed for my fixed position. 'Wind' was then edited together and combined with a beautifully meditative score composed by Ralph Tayler-Webb.