This project developed from an interest in armour and the patterns and materials that have been used to create armour in the past, particularly inspiring were the Chinese Terracotta Warriors which I wanted to create a contemporary piece of armour that reflected life and culture in Wales. I approached the National Museum of Wales and asked to work with the slate cutters at Llanberis Slate Museum. This began a six month collaboration with the slate cutters to build the armour. The completed armour became the first stage in a series of works based around slate. The armour became a tool in performance where the work was returned to the natural environment of the slate quarry, where it blended into the post-industrial landscape of the mountain. A series of performance photographs came out of this event called Protection. I was interested in the representation of the body within the space of the mountain, and the use of a traditional craft to create a contemporary piece of art. From the body armour, the work grew into a second work called 'Sentinels' which involved wrapping trees in slate armour for protection.