Vacuum cleaner head

We scavenge where we can. This is a vacuum cleaner head in Anthony's workshop. Very anthropomorphic.

Scavenging for stuff

We are always scavenging for stuff . We thought of calling ourselves the Scavengers but the name had been taken by a pop group. These are two car bits. The one above had been dumped in a quarry and the  one below by the side of the road. Useful for our projected Scraptorzoic Era.

We plan to convert this into a sculpture if we get funding for out project at Magdalen the eco educational centre based on a farm in Dorset near Crewkerne  - the Somerset border passes through its fields.

This is a tractor seat just waiting to become a head for one of our Scraptorzoic creatures in our planned sculpture trail at the Magdalen Project in Dorset.

Grants

We have been getting on with an Arts Council grant application for our planned Scraptorzoic Era at the Magdalen Project and will update as soon as we hear the final outcome - one grant and some other funding is already in place, so fingers crossed!  Images of prototypes for the project below:

Humanoids - detail

Bulbous Anthill - detail

Scraptorzoid creature and spawn - on show at Magdalen's Open Day earlier this year

We've all been busy with individual projects and exhibitions too.  To see what we've been up to please visit our websites in the links bar ➞

Scraptorzoic Era workshop at Gryphon School, Dorset

Yesterday Fiona and Anthony ran a workshop for the new Year 7 intake at the Gryphon School, Sherborne, Dorset, as part of their summer holiday activities and initiation into secondary school.  ArtsLink funded the Scraptorzoic Era workshop, which entailed creating some scraptoroid creatures and spawn to contribute towards our forthcoming trail at the Magdalen Project, Dorset - the Scraptorzoic Era.  Linked to the jurassic theme and imaginary beasties, the children worked individually or in pairs, creating some inventive pieces using a whole range of recycled materials and techniques.  Some of these will form part of our permanent installation of giant scraptoroid creatures and spawn, which will sit under transparent domes in the gardens of Magdalen's Educational Centre.

We had a good day with them, the children loved the concept and all enjoyed exploring so many possibilities with scrap.  We hope this will lead to further workshops for our project.  Dorset Arts Council have already offered some funding and we hope to raise our target for the project by the end of the year.

Taunton Sustainability Show

We had an enthusiastic response at the Taunton Sustainability Show. Above Paul and Rachel on the stand. The fibre glass front of a Mini is destined to be the head of a family of monsters at the Magdalen Project near the Jurassic coast. A print of this is available from our online shop see right hand box.

Below : a humanoid, Anthony, Paul and Rachel. Photo by courtesy of jtcompletedesign.co.uk There will be tribes of humanoids at Magdalen. A print of this also available from our shop.

Scraptorzoic Era a step closer

Some marvellous news in our efforts to raise funds to install the Scraptorzoic Era at Magdalen a charity run  eco farm and educational centre near the Jurassic Coast. We have been awarded a grant by West Dorset Council. We plan a whole geological era with flora, fauna and humanoid tribes. Magdalen has old machinery lying about which we can convert. This old cement mixer cries out to become a giant insect.

Writhing Dragons found wood

We have been given these interesting bits of wood by a friend. Paul and Anthony collected them in a trailer and they now await transformation. They look like two writhing dragons. We will decide what  to add and subtract to enhance them.

Drain Pipe to be transformed

Before: we like to transform features in the landscape and this is our plan for a water pipe leading to a stream in a wooded ravine. It is particularly gushing after heavy rain. The drawing is by Paul Boswell and the face owes something to Ancient Roman fountains and something to African tribal masks. We are selling prints of this on EBay - see opposite.

After

Sustainability Show

Our next big exhibition will be the Sustainability Show in Taunton on 17th June.  We will have a range of our work on show, together with Scraptor giclee prints for sale - to help raise funds for our Scraptorzoic Era at Magdalen. 
Please do come along and introduce yourselves, it should be a great day.   

Magdalen's 'Spring on the Farm' Open Day

On Sunday 29th April we braved the howling gales and cold rain for a 'Spring on the Farm' Open Day at The Magdalen Project!   Our Scraptors stand in the barn displayed some of our work and samples of pieces which may feature in our planned Scraptorzoic Era - if and when we get funding.  Possibly the coldest Spring day so far - with flooded roads and fallen trees all over Somerset and Dorset - visitor numbers were seriously depleted, but the people who came enjoyed roasting marshmallows on the fire, feeding lambs, seeing the bees, stroking Jenny the cob horse and chatting to us about our future plans.  See images below:

Our stand with Limited Edition Giclee Prints for sale

Detail of Spawn and Scraptorzoic Creature - some of these will be made by young and old in workshops

Mini head - which will form part of a 'Tripod Mini Head' giant sculpture

 

Humanoid

Scraptors with Spawn and Scraptorzoic creatures

New project in Devon

We have been asked to come up with a themed sculpture trail to liven up the grounds of a charity in Devon, so we are busy planning. There is a site that needs a tall eyecatcher and Anthony's silver tower, presently in his garden, is a candidate. The charity is keen on the idea of 3D murals and this is part of a forty feet wide one in Anthony's garden, a collaborative work of Paul, Rachel and Anthony. There is the possibility of using old farm machinery and Fiona's ace skills at welding will come into play.

Big Green Week

Fiona, one of the Scraptors, is currently working as a Green Capital Artist-in-residence for Bristol's Big Green Week in June, culminating in an exhibition of work at the Create Centre (9-17 June): http://biggreenweek.com/.   Visitors can see the development of artists' work at Create leading up to the Big Green Week.  Below are examples of works in progress.  One of the floating Diatoms will include some additional tentacles made by Rachel (Scraptor).

Man models himself on Earth, Earth on Heaven - work in progress by Fiona

Recycled steel, copper wire, lead

4.5m high aprx

Diatom by Fiona with tentacles added by Rachel

Fund-raising

Thanks to those who have supported and donated, we have raised over $700 and many materials in kind so far, for our planned Scraptorzoic Era at the Magdalen Project.  We are currently applying for further funds through various funding bodies and will post progress updates on our blog.  


We will be at Magdalen's Open 'Spring on the Farm' Day on April 29th, showing samples of what's to come for the Scraptorzoic Era, and hope to raise greater awareness of the project then.  Do come along if you can - it will be a fun day for all!

Spring at Magdalen

Anthony went the Magdalen Project on the Somerset/Dorset border to do some measuring up for the Open Day on April 29th when the Scraptors will have a stall about the projected Scraptorzoic Era sculpture trail planned for the farm. Recent additions by Magdalen are these flowerpot old toilets in the spirit of sustainability and these lambs.

Deux Chevaux bonnet found

We are planning for our next project, the Scraptorzoic Era at the Magdalen Project to make sculptures using have the fronts of three iconic cars, the Volkswagen Beetle, the Austin Mini and the Citroen Deux Chevaux. We had the first two but lacked the last until a chance conversation led Anthony to a barn within ten minutes drive where Deux Chevaux seem to have bred. The kind owner donated a bonnet.

Spawn

We have made a start on the Giant Spawn with Embryonic creatures for our Scraptorzoic Era at the Magdalen Project (see below).  For Magdalen's Open 'Spring on the Farm' Day on Sunday April 29th, we hope to create more sections of this growing piece, so that visitors have a better idea of what it may look like as a whole.   The spawn shapes are being constructed from retrieved chicken wire, thin steel grids, old broken sieves, collanders and unwanted tights/stockings.  If you have any of the above materials you'd be happy to donate (especially large wire sieves), and live local to Somerset, we would be very grateful for your contribution!

Spawn (above); Embryonic Scraptorzoids in progress (below)

Scraptorzoic Era flyer

Our Scraptorzoic Era campaign on IndieGoGo (see post below) is gradually building up funds for our next project.  We have created a flyer to publicise the campaign (runs 'til 6th April) and Magdalen's Open 'Spring on the Farm' Day (April 29th):

To help spread the word and support our campaign, please feel free to print this flyer and distribute appropriately

Our Scraptorzoic Era Project at Magdalen Farm near Jurassic Coast

We are making some pieces over the winter for our Scraptorzoic Era sculpture trail in the summer. This is Anthony's Scraptoroid Creature photographed with a chicken in the kitchen garden of Paul and Rachel. We scattered some corn to get the chicken in place. We are rasing funds for that venture through crowdfunding. Click on http://www.indiegogo.com/Scraptorzoic-Era  and see post below.  Good perks for those who contribute from $5.

Please consider making a pledge and help us spread the message far and wide. Thanks in advance for anything you can do! 

IndieGoGo Launch for Scraptorzoic Era at Magdalen Project - Lift-off!

We have now launched our appeal on IndieGoGo to raise funds for the Scraptorzoic Era, which we plan to instal at The Magdalen Project from June 2012.


Please click on the box below to access our pledge and help support us in this campaign:

Below is our selection of prints available.  As perks we offer you:

$5+     =   Scraptors certificate and emailed drawing (see below)

$25+   =   1 of the following printed on hand-made Wookey Hole paper

$50+   =   1 of the following signed by us, which you may select, printed on hand-made Wookey Hole paper

$100+  =  2 of the following, as above

$200+  =  As above, with a link to our website, if you wish
$1000+ = Weekend for 8 people in a Yurt at the Magdalen Farm (facilities include clay oven and compost toilet) + a link to our website, if you wish
$2000+ = Scraptors Sculpture – to be discussed (excl. transport/installation) + a link to our website, if you wish

Humanoids sketch

by Paul Boswell

Diatom with tendrils 

by Fiona Campbell

(diatoms being endangered microscopic sea creatures, essential to our survival, hailed from the Jurassic era)

Giant Spawn with Scraptorzoic creatures emerging

by Fiona Campbell

Waterhead sketch

by Paul Boswell

Tripod Bonnet Head sketch

by Paul Boswell

Bulbous Anthills on Spikes

by Fiona Campbell

Spawn and Scraptoroids

by Paul Boswell

Large Dangly Cocoon

by Fiona Campbell

PLEASE NOTE: Once you have donated, we will contact you via email to clarify which print/s you'd like.  If you wish, you can email us in advance to let us know, on:  scraptors@hotmail.co.uk