"My stay at Xenia was the first time where I could focus solely on my creative work, and what a gift! The warm welcome from Jaye, Felipe, and Lucy, the beautiful setting, and the cosy living space made me feel safe and cared for. Feeling so cared for was just what I needed after a tough few years.

I had everything I needed to explore. The studio is incredible; having all that space, with gorgeous light, made it such a joy to tinker and experiment. I was able to approach some tricky processes to extract pigment and make gouache, which were very time-consuming—what normally would have taken me weeks to get to grips with took me just a few days. Taking photos of my work was easy; everything looked amazing wherever I put it!

It was such a joy to go for walks around the property, collecting things and breathing in the peace. Felipe took me for a tour and kindly answered all my questions. September was a beautiful time of year to go, with the wild grasslands going to seed. I was amazed at the richness of the land, and found so many plants and stones to extract colour from.

Not only did my stay fast forward my practice about 6 months in just two weeks, but it was also a cosy retreat away from day to day life, nestled in my plush bedroom, eating the delicious food purchased by the lovely Lucy. Being able to have some visits from my partner made it even more special.

The whole experience was an absolute dream! Looking back I can’t quite believe I was able to experience it. Since coming home, my practice has evolved dramatically and I have found a clearer direction which I had been searching for. It feels like a deep change for me, like Before Xenia and After Xenia. I deeply appreciate my time there and would like to thank Bianca and Stuart for their extraordinary hospitality."

Born

1986,

Dorset

About

Lila Wordsworth is an interdisciplinary artist focused on salvaged and found materials, such as local plants and urban and maritime waste streams, including rusted objects, plastic waste, and construction rubble. She turns them into pigments, dyes, sculptures, textiles, cyanotype prints, and photographs. Her work is process-driven and expressive in style, embracing a contemporary aesthetic that combines both figurative and abstract elements.

She is currently focused on exploring stories emerging from the urban environment in Brighton and the local beach, which serves as a liminal space where humans, technology, and the vastness of the sea meet. The work she is making through this exploration is co-created by the sea and the city themselves, as they leave gifts and garbage to tell their tales.

Her artistic influences include, among others, Sarah Lucas, Louise Bourgeois, Yayoi Kusama, surrealism, Gees Bend quilters, Eva Hesse & June Crespo.

A self-taught artist, Wordsworth studied English and American Studies at the University of Sussex and worked as a secondary English teacher and later as an education officer before dedicating her time to her art practice. Since then, her work has been presented in museums, galleries, and public spaces. In 2023, she was awarded the Andrew Edney Bursary, enabling Wordsworth to work with Serpentine curator Lucia Pietrouisti. She lives and swims in Brighton, UK.

For more information about Lila, visit her website here: www.lilawordsworth.com.

About

Lila Wordsworth is an interdisciplinary artist focused on salvaged and found materials, such as local plants and urban and maritime waste streams, including rusted objects, plastic waste, and construction rubble. She turns them into pigments, dyes, sculptures, textiles, cyanotype prints, and photographs. Her work is process-driven and expressive in style, embracing a contemporary aesthetic that combines both figurative and abstract elements.

She is currently focused on exploring stories emerging from the urban environment in Brighton and the local beach, which serves as a liminal space where humans, technology, and the vastness of the sea meet. The work she is making through this exploration is co-created by the sea and the city themselves, as they leave gifts and garbage to tell their tales.

Her artistic influences include, among others, Sarah Lucas, Louise Bourgeois, Yayoi Kusama, surrealism, Gees Bend quilters, Eva Hesse & June Crespo.

A self-taught artist, Wordsworth studied English and American Studies at the University of Sussex and worked as a secondary English teacher and later as an education officer before dedicating her time to her art practice. Since then, her work has been presented in museums, galleries, and public spaces. In 2023, she was awarded the Andrew Edney Bursary, enabling Wordsworth to work with Serpentine curator Lucia Pietrouisti. She lives and swims in Brighton, UK.

For more information about Lila, visit her website here: www.lilawordsworth.com.