Do you know about these legacy makers?
Whether trekking to Israel or teaching lace-making, these four innovators are making their mark
Over the past 128 years, San Miguel has built an enduring legacy. These four Legacy Makers are making marks in different life-affirming ways – whether planting amazing wildflowers in unexpected urban areas, making works of art from discarded objects and lace, or changing the way women consider adventurous activity.
The Wild Planter
“Andy Warhol said land is the best art,” says Richard Scott, director of the National Wildflower Centre. It aims to reverse ecological decline and bring wildflowers back into the UK’s living culture.
Richard works in deprived areas and preaches “creative conservation” – the craft of making change and passing on skills. “There’s a danger in people thinking that there is some green-fingered magic to doing all this,” he adds. “It’s important to remove that mysticism. We want to make it accessible. Sowing seeds is the simplest thing in the world.”
The Lace-Maker
“My obsession is lace. My friends think I’m crazy!” Marian Nuñez laughs.
Marian worked in advertising, but returned to coastal Spain to follow her passion for traditional craft. She now teaches lace-making and spends up to nine months creating her own unique lace “sculptures”, she says, which draw on ancient skills with a modern twist: “I experiment. My inspiration comes from Pop Art, comics, music and graffiti. The sea and boats are also part of my influence.”
The Thought-Provoking Artist
Innovative sculptor Michelle Reader literally moulds exhibits from rubbish, creating large, beautiful pieces that provoke debate about how and why we throw things away.
Michelle has toured UK shopping centres, making a figure sculpture at each, using materials found on site. She runs educational workshops for all ages alongside her exhibitions. “I love creating things that connect with people,” she says. “I want people to consider where it comes from and why it is considered waste when it can be a resource. We need to get people thinking about the quantity of waste we produce, and how to cut down or reuse it.”
The Community Leader
Two years ago, schoolteacher Bex Band decided to do something very different. “I decided to trek the length of Israel,” she says. “I couldn’t get the idea out my head.”
The 1,000km yomp transformed her life: “I fell in love with the simplicity of having that headspace.”
Back in the UK, she saw how male-dominated and competitive outdoors courses could be and spotted an opportunity. Love Her Wild, “a community for ordinary women who want to do extraordinary things”, was born. “One woman who took part in an expedition has now rowed the Pacific!”
Discover the full San Miguel Rich List and find inspiration on how to live a richer life at sanmiguelrichlist.independent.co.uk
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