O! the Morris ’tis I see, the Morris dance acoming

Morris dance

I’ve always been drawn to folklore, and this Morris dancer grew out of that fascination. The idea really began after meeting Clare, who dances traditional Morris. Seeing her enthusiasm for it made me want to capture a bit of that lively, joyful movement in a small diorama.

Morris dance is an old English folk tradition, going back to the 15th century, with rhythmic steps, bells, and character.

The Dancer and her outfit

This character is dressed in an outfit inspired by the Cotswold Morris tradition. The colours and fabrics I used are taken directly from their costumes. I really liked the top hat decorated with flowers, so I made her one of those, using polymer clay for the hat, and silk paper for the flowers. I made her a few pins as a nod to the different places she has performed.

Cotswold Morris is usually danced with handkerchiefs or sticks that highlight the hand movements. I tried to capture a hint of that lively style in the way this figure is posed.

The Flowers

My technique for making flowers is painting silk paper and shaping it, using small tools and my hands and some glue.

The Walls

For the backdrop, I wanted something that suggested an old English tavern or pub—somewhere you could easily imagine a Morris team gathering after a dance. I built the base from small stones, then filled the spaces between the timber with a mix meant to create those traditional white walls. It didn’t dry quite the way I hoped, so I added a thin layer of plaster to get the right finish. After that, I gave the surface a touch of stain and weathering to make the walls look a bit worn.

Designing the pattern

I tested several different patterns before settling on one that suited the movement and shape of the character. In such a small diorama, I didn’t want anything too busy or distracting. Instead, I looked for a pattern that supported the figure’s energy without taking attention away from her. This final choice felt like the right balance.