Welcome to Woman with Plants
the creative endeavours of Esther Williams
Shwmae!
I’m an English and Welsh visual artist, writer, researcher and musician based in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. My work explores human-plant relationships with a focus on the botanical heritage of Cymru, highlighting forgotten Welsh nomenclature to foster deeper understandings of longstanding plant-perspectives in Wales.
Music and Visual Art BA
I have a BA in Music and Visual Art from Brighton University, where I experimented with alternative ecological perspectives, and walking as artistic practice. My degree show Terrain featured a light installation using leaf-skeletons and a slide projector to visually distort senses of scale, viewpoint and place within an imagined landscape, making connections between the micro and macro, human and non-human ways of seeing.
A slide from the degree show Terrain, featuring large-scale projections of leaf skeletons
Sustainability MSc
I also have an MSc in Sustainability where my research explored the concept of ‘decolonising’ British botanic gardens. This comprised in-depth interviews with staff from various gardens in England and Wales, exploring understandings of and feelings surrounding the term ‘decolonise’, and its relevance to the changing role of botanic gardens.
Wild Welsh Plants
A continuously evolving project unearthing the secretive worlds of wild plants, highlighting Welsh language and botanical heritage, featuring photography, writing, video and soundscapes.
Serenllys Mawr / Greater Stitchwort / Rabelera holostea
herb & all
My vibrant botanical business - created in 2022, herb & all features illustrated seed-kits, cards, prints and paper, encouraging people to grow their own edible plants sustainably and learn about Welsh plant names and folklore. You can view the product range here.
Pot Marigold / Melyn Mair seeds - part of the herb & all product range
Music
I also make music! My debut EP a small fire was self-released in 2024, you can listen to it here.
Album cover for my EP a small fire, available on all major streaming platforms
To receive my Wild Welsh Plants photo essays and news on other work, sign up to my newsletter below. If you’re interested in commissioning, collaborating, or just talking about plants , I’d love to hear from you - please get in touch via the contact form.