Barn Conversations: Origin Stories Through Art, Science, Myth & Music
This conversation brings together artist and storyteller Claudia Biçen, discussing the creation of her new book The Forgotten Teachers, and Lottie Walker, gardener and musician. Through shared insights, readings, and live performance, the evening will explore some of the origin stories in the book and how they connect with 18th and 19th century folk songs.
The Forgotten Teachers is an illustrated creation story made by neuroscientist poet Brian Isset and storytelling artist Claudia Biçen. Starting from science, while reaching for spiritual truth, The Forgotten Teachers charts the evolution of life on Earth under the mentorship of six teachers: Ocean, Air, Theia (through collision with this planet, Earth was set on its tilt), Sun, Plants, and Symbionts. Ideas from the field of evolutionary biology, accompanied by watercolor illustrations, guide this factual yet mytho-poetic exploration of life.
Connected to OmVed Gardens 2026 theme, "listening as care", this event is an invitation to slow down and listen as a way of showing care for the past, for each other, and for the living systems that shape our shared future.
What to Expect:
6:00 PM – Doors open | Explore the gardens and enjoy the surroundings. There will be a bar with non alcoholic drinks available for purchase, and a display of original artworks from the artist.
6:30 PM – Conversation starts | Featuring readings, performances and Q&A with the public
8:00 PM – Conversation ends | Stay for informal networking and further discussion. A few copies of the book will be available for purchase at a special price and the author will be signing.
8:30 PM – Event ends
About the speakers:
Claudia Biçen is a British-American artist who uses illustration and storytelling to help people deepen their relationships with themselves, each other and the more-than-human world. Her work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery (Washington DC), the Royal Society of Portrait Painters (London), and the National Arts Club (New York). Before The Forgotten Teachers, Claudia created Thoughts in Passing, an audio-visual portrait series that followed the lives of nine hospice patients as they confronted their death. Thoughts in Passing was featured in the Washington Post, Huffington Post, and San Francisco Chronicle and shared in museums, hospitals, universities, and high schools across the US and UK. Claudia holds a BA in Philosophy & Psychology from the University of Oxford and an MSc in Social Anthropology from University College London
https://claudiabicen.art @claudiabicen
Lottie Walker is a teacher, writer and classically trained singer who grew up in the English countryside. Her writing explores the connection between the human and the more-than human, garden histories and food. From a young age she has been committed to the preservation and continuation of folk music traditions.
About OmVed Gardens:
OmVed Gardens is a greenscape, exhibition, events, and learning space in North London dedicated to exploring the connections between food, ecology and creativity for health and climate resilience. We are on a mission to inspire ecological awareness and action, and deepen our understanding of interconnectedness with the natural world.
As a registered Community Interest Company, all our activities prioritise social and ecological objectives. Whether collaborating with chefs, creatives, gardeners, or schools, OmVed Gardens is a hub for education, connection, and action. We aim to inspire individuals and communities to reimagine their role in building a healthier, more resilient world.
We work to increase biodiversity - of species, seeds, food systems, and participation, through regenerative gardening, seed saving, habitat creation, and ecological education. Our space serves as a living example of how urban areas can be transformed into thriving ecosystems that support both human and non-human communities.
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www.omvedgardens.com · @omvedgardens
Please note: Wheelchair access across the site is currently limited while landscape works are underway and will be fully completed by the end of 2025. For events, there is drop-off access by car to the Barn main building. If you require wheelchair drop-off, please get in touch with us ahead of time. There is an accessible toilet located inside the Barn.
Subsidised Tickets:
We have a few reserved tickets at a subsidised rate. If this workshop is not monetarily accessible, please write to us at events@omvedgardens.com to avail yourself of a subsidised ticket rate. Subject to availability.
Refund Policy:
Tickets are non-refundable, except in cases where an event is sold out and a waiting list exists for the session. Refund requests can be made up to 10 days prior to the session. Please write to us for any refund inquiries,
