Scraptors at Green Fair Frome

We had a stand at the Green Fair in Frome Somerset. All sorts of stands on green issues, green investment, green energy, bat boxes, belts made from bicycle tyres. This photo shows one of Paul's heads and a little man by Anthony and in the foreground not very clearly a little dinosaur's head also by him. Paul's head is to be that of Bacchus at Stourhead in September.

Re-visiting Stourhead

The Scraptors and vjultra (photographer/animator for our launch) returned to Stourhead this week for a meeting about our forthcoming Trail.  It also gave us a chance to re-visit our site and place Fiona's Chameleon and Paul/Anthony's Eye (both unfinished) on their proposed fallen tree.  Quite a feat as the trunk is raised up and there's a long drop down to the lake!  

We all went on to another meeting elsewhere afterwards, regarding a very exciting future Trail we may be involved in.... watch this space!

SalvoFair

Fiona recently had a ‘working’ stand at SalvoFair, Knebworth (24-26 June), where people could see her sculptures including the giant recycled Spider, and Fiona working on her Chameleon - two of the pieces to be installed at Stourhead.  The Fair was packed with thousands of visitors and the most incredible selection of salvage/antique items.  The Scraptors have gained several new contacts from this.  See images below:

                                                      

Chameleon body - awaiting outer layers of wire and bottle tops

SalvoFair - view of Fiona's stand from giant Spider

Fiona's young helper - piercing bottle tops to decorate Chameleon

Sustainability Show Taunton and Scraptor Stand

Our Scraptors stand at the Sustainability Show, Taunton today went well. The show organised by What's On in Somerset was busy from the moment it opened. Our assembled works attracted plenty of attention and exciting new possibilities. Two of the exhibitors expressed strong interest in having a Scraptor sculpture trail on their land  and a friend of Fiona offered a barnful of old machinery for sculptural purposes. Our idea of Heaven. The pictures show us with visitors

SCRAP – THE NEW ALCHEMY!

Pylle Motor Spares (near Shepton Mallet) long established in the scrap business, have become art patrons!  They have donated scrap to the Scraptors, who scavenge incessantly for material for their sculptures.

The spirit of alchemy overcame our photographer VJUltra – creating a palindrome image of our scrap hunt.

VJUltra will be doing an animation film at the preview/launch of our Trail at Stourhead on 1st September (5.30-7.30pm)

Pylle responded to an appeal by the Scraptors for bits and pieces for their forthcoming Trail at Stourhead.  Sarah Herring and Ped Rossiter, at Pylle Motors said “it’s great to see some things being created into art rather than crushed”.  Although individual in style, South West 'Scraptors' Fiona Campbell, Anthony Wilson, Paul Boswell and Rachel Macleay all use mainly recycled and found materials in their sculptures.  Their new venture will be a circular sculpture trail “Beyond the Garden Gate” at Stourhead National Trust Estate, (1-30^th September ’11).  With no funding for the project, the Scraptors have been relying on their own ingenuity to source materials.

Now that the price of scrap metal has reached new heights, the Scraptors are finding it more difficult to obtain donations of scrap, such as steel and copper wire, for their work.  These days, people are understandably even more likely to save their scrap metal to trade in for extra money!   It’s a lucrative business for scrap merchants.

In additon to finding materials on walks, at scrap yards and in skips, some off cuts of steel and scrap have already been kindly donated by friends, together with companies such as John Shepherd Feeders and Pylle Motor Spares.  In response to a newspaper article, a lady, Karen Green, invited them to collect a supply of metal tools from an elderly man (Ed’s) sheds, as he no longer required them. It turned out to be a treasure trove of trash – literally shed loads of interesting shapes for their new pieces! (See article Ed's Sheds below)

Fiona has been a regular customer at Pylle Motor Spares, scouring the huge heaps of scrap, usually to find various steel parts and colourful copper wire, which she buys.  “The range of rich reds and oranges that come from alternators, for example, are fantastic colours for my woven sculptures.  I like the concept of reusing things – giving them a rebirth – and the playfulness of creating forms from given shapes”.  Apart from the obvious environmental benefits of using scrap, Paul says “ I enjoy creating work out of scrap as it leads to an interesting collision of different materials.” In the mountain of scrap at the yard, Paul instantly saw a hippopotamus, giant dog and gorilla!  “As a child, my nickname was ‘Stig-of-the-dump’” says Rachel “..not alot’s changed!!”  Utilising coloured plastic bottles, Rachel creates exotic flowers and creatures.  Anthony says “My idea of heaven is a giant scrapyard!”  In his large, wild garden even the bushes become sculptures – nothing is safe from his zoomorphic touch!

Further donations of scrap steel, copper wire, colourful bottle tops, beads and buttons would all be much appreciated.  Tel:  (01749) 880394/(01373) 836786/scraptors@hotmail.co.uk

Sustainability Show

The Scraptors will have a stand at the forthcoming Sustainability show - an enterprising new show (the West Country’s first ever Sustainability Show) on Sunday, June 19^th at the Queen’s Conference Centre, Trull Rd, Taunton.  Guest of honour, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will perform the opening ceremony.  

There will be something for everyone; from growing your own food to learning about renewable energy sources.

“Children will find lots of hands-on activities and demonstrations since as every parent knows, they’re our environmental conscience!”

Come along!

www.sustainabilityshow.org.uk

Sustainability Show

The Scraptors will have a stand at the Sustainability ShowAn enterprising new show kicks off  on June 19th at Queen's Conference Centre in Taunton:  the West's first  Sustainability Show.  he West Country’s first ever Sustainability Show on Sunday, June 19^th at the Queen’s Conference Centre in Trull. Guest of honour, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will perform the opening ceremony.
www.sustainabilityshow.org.uk