Hi, I’m Jude. I live on the West coast of Scotland on the banks of the River Clyde, near Loch Lomond. I’m an artist and writer exploring my connection to the land through art, story and ritual.
I am a cultural activist inspired by the traditions of Keening Woman to re-envision keening, and create new grief rituals through art, story and ritual to meet our needs today.
Art projects such as creating keening dolls or weaving help us get in touch with our feelings as we work with our hands and heart, where we might not have the words to describe our grief.
Keening circles are rituals which allow us to express and often transform aspects of our grief, which we can then explore through art. The grief stories we bring are our own, those of the plants, birds and animals around us and those suffering due to war and social injustices.
This way exploring our grief through art, our stories and through ritual can help bring a resilience through a deep rooted connection with the Ancestral Mothers to the land under your feet.
Working with the inspiration of keening and engaging with imagination and creativity helps us connect to the wider picture, of the land under our feet and helps foster a sense of belonging and to engage with environmental and social issues.
ONE PLACE LEFT ON THE AUGUST PILGRIMAGE
Click below to register your interest for 2027
An Introduction to Keening (self study)
The history of keening
Exploring the role of the Bean Chaointe, the Keening Woman
Addressing the erasure of keening
A modern interpretation of keening
Creating a personal keening ritual for your own intention
Keep in Touch - Either join my regular newsletter or sign up on my Substack (details below)
Substack Offerings
A new series exploring for paid subsribers exploring:
Clothing the departed
Lamentation and farewell
Gifts for the journey
The wake reimagined
Walking the last road
The Ancestral Mothers Writing Group (on Substack)
A place to share about your writing, set yourself some goals (if that’s your thing), all alongside some seasonal inspiration a story, some music, some time to write. This is not a place of critique or feedback, more tapping into the seasonal rhythms within a community of likeminded souls.
Launches June 2026
Online Courses
An Introduction to Keening
Self study - go at your own pace
The history of keening
Exploring the role of the Bean Chaointe, the Keening Woman
Addressing the erasure of keening
A modern interpretation of keening
BONUS: Creating a personal keening ritual for your own intention
