Rob St John has been working on his commission ‘Are You Lost?’ for Forest of Bowland National Landscape for the past eight months, meeting with literally hundreds of people in workshops, walks and events to develop the work. He has worked closely with young people from the fringes of Bowland, alongside a diverse range of people who know the landscape well: farmers, estate workers, ecologists, archaeologists, poets, historians, restoration managers, fell runners and many more. He started his career in environmental science and politics before beginning his artistic practice. His work has been shown/heard at Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum, The Barbican, The British Museum, Tramway Glasgow, The Royal Geographical Society, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop amongst others.

Ruth Allen started her career as a geologist. She is now an eco-psychotherapist working primarily outdoors in landscape, and online. Combining her background in geology with innovative body-based and creative techniques she offers therapy, mentoring, workshops, classes and adventure retreats designed to help others connect with their bodies and the rest of nature. Ruth is the author of two books: ‘Weathering’ and ‘Grounded’, and creates small-scale, sited, ephemeral land art.

Rob and Ruth have been friends for many years and have worked on many collaborations together. They expect their conversation to cover topics as broad as social and environmental justice and politics, participatory art, deep listening to both human and non-human life, nature connectedness and the future for young people, land ownership and more.