Rob and Harriet Fraser

Creatives Rob and Harriet Fraser don’t just live in the Lakes – they immerse themselves in the landscape through their ‘Sense of Here’ project.

The couple – Rob is a photographer and Harriet a writer –  who work under the name somewhere-nowhere, live in the Eastern Lake District, and together they have developed their creativity, inspired by the countryside and exploring how it can contribute to their art.

Said Harriet: “Sense of Here uses walking, art and documentary in an exploration of the natural environment and our relationship with the places we treasure. It takes an artful approach to getting to know a place and considers different viewpoints that converge on one fundamental issue: the need for an improving, healthy environment that supports natural ecosystems as well as a thriving human culture.”

The couple offered a residential for five young artists with support from the Great Place: Lakes and Dales (GPLD) Acorn funding scheme and earlier this year they spent four days being inspired by the Lakes. The project will culminate in an exhibition at the new museum at the Wordsworth Trust in 2020.

Dancer Emmie Coxey, poet Melissa Davies, artist Anna Litchfield, photographer Hugo Hunt and artist Louise Beer visited Dove Cottage, Grasmere, and explored Grizedale Forest and the Duddon Valley during the residency, concentrating on sowing seeds, sparking ideas and forming relationships. The group spent time outdoors, tuning their senses to the natural world and discussing ‘place’.

Rob and Harriet are also working on walks, documentaries and art inspired by the idea of a map of the Lakes as a clockface divided into 12 segments centred on the Under Helm sycamore near Grasmere.

As well as publishing books, photography and writing, the couple is involved in creating landscape art and encouraging conversations about land use and the management of the environment.

Find out more at www.senseofhere.com