Blackwaters (2020 - 2022)

Myths are found in the caverns and the landscapes of the Peak District, holding stories of hidden creatures that few can claim to have seen. A journal from 1913 was found in a street market, written by explorer and photographer, John Fernsby. The journal documented the discovery of mythical creatures that have been spoken about in the area for centuries as he visited the locations, photographing the places and their hidden beings.

The landscape in the Peak District has changed in many ways since the early twentieth century, though the locations that hold significance to these myths are kept alive through the belief of those that live around them. Forests grow and land is walked upon, yet the rock faces, earth and trees have seen all that has unfolded over the past centuries, living on to embody their rich history.

Blackwaters tells a story that is hidden in plain sight. Mythology is the foundation of this work, and artist, Ruby Nixon, uses her process as means for blurring the line of distinction between realism and magic. If you look, you will see that fantasy is buried in the darkest corners of reality.