Wells Cathedral School visits our Sculpture Trail at Stourhead

Various schools have scheduled visits to our Trail - so far with very positive feedback.  Below is a picture sent to Fiona from Wells Cathedral Junior School of the children discovering the Chameleon.  

The Scraptors Trail Beyond the Garden Gate at Stourhead

 The site of the Sculpture Trail, in place throughout September at Stourhead the National Trust property in Wiltshire, is the perfect playground for artists, with long vistas, reflections in lakes and the possibility to do big stuff. . Anthony and Paul turned this huge fallen tree into a monster with the addition of a hubcap from a lorry. Anthony had the concept and the hubcap lurking in a shed; Paul wielded his spray can.  The tree proved a perfect perch for a Chameleon by Fiona. It is covered with bottle tops.

The Trail Begins!

Chameleon and Egret (with interested, thirsty cows!)

Our Sculpture Trail at Stourhead National Trust Estate, entitled 'Beyond the Garden Gate', is now up and running throughout September (normal NT admission applies).  The past week was, for all of us, a huge exertion of energy and effort to successfully bring together our Trail and the grand Private view opening yesterday evening.  We were blessed with beautiful weather which helped create a magical tour for our first visitors.  

Capri Marquee from our Sponsor Adams Marquees

Some of our first visitors through Arch & Nest (Fiona) above - and more below 

Bacchus (Paul and Rachel)

Egret (Anthony)

Amphibian (Paul and Rachel)

Insects (painting - Paul)

Heron - above and below (Fiona)

Bacchus' Musicians - above and below (Paul and Rachel)

Chameleon (Fiona)

Heron (Rachel and Paul)

Starfish Fungus (Fiona)

Butterfly (Fiona)

Cocoon IV (Fiona)

We have already had some wonderful feedback and interest in our work.  Here are some visitors' comments:

"Many many thanks for the invite to Stourhead tonight. It was all magnificent, what luck with the weather, the light and the setting. It is also so witty!

The wine was pretty good too...."

Bob French

"Stourhead was a spectacular setting for all those exotic, clever and beautiful sculptures; particularly enjoyed your Chameleon and the Egret."

Victoria Grinter

"Love the integration into the grounds - brilliant!"

Christine Dean

"A super child-friendly eclectic show"

Nick Somerville

"Going around trying to find the un-natural creatures was a thrill!"

Tristan Stevens

Thanks to Stourhead for the beautiful venue and all our Sponsors who have contributed to the Trail's success:

Adams Marquees www.adamsmarquees.co.uk

Hicks & Don Wine Merchants www.hicksanddon.co.uk

JD Recycling Warminster

John Shepherd Feeders www.johnshepherdfeeders.com

Pylle Motor Spares

Regenersis www.regenersis.com

Ripe Digital Printers www.ripedigital.co.uk

Sureset Resin Paving www.sureset.co.uk

VJ Ultra www.vjultra.co.uk

White Space  www.whitespace.co.uk

Wookey Hole www.wookey.co.uk

And thanks to all other friends and supporters for their kind donations of scrap materials

Arch and other work under way

With just 3 more weeks to go until our Sculpture Trail at Stourhead National Trust Estate starts, we are all working hard to get over 70 sculptures completed in time.  A fairly mammoth task which has absorbed us for months - we hope the outcome will be an enriching event for all to enjoy!  


The Stourhead sculpture trail, entitled “Beyond the Garden Gate”, will be installed by the Six Wells lakes and woodland that border the iconic Stourhead Gardens.  The sculptures will explore themes connected with Stourhead - its history, wildlife, classical mythology of sculptures in the garden and buildings that dot the landscape.


The images in this post show work in progress (some completed) by Fiona:

Steel Arch in the making - springs, horseshoes, old urns, tools and posts will form part of this 3-4 metre piece.  The Arch will overhang a pathway on the Trail.  A wire nest will be woven through at the meeting point between the two halves.

One side up

Helpers Jack and Georgia piercing and crushing cans to add to Fiona's giant Spider - previously created by Fiona for Glastonbury Festival '10.  Participants helped complete the work by adding crushed cans and bottle tops around its body of steel.  As the cans have faded in colour, we are updating it with a few new ones for the Stourhead Trail!

Georgia adding cans to Spider's body

Fiona's Owl for the Owl Tree

Chameleon has now been decorated with a full technicolour dreamcoat of bottle tops (completed at the Larmer Tree Festival '11).  Photos taken at Teignmouth Seafront, where Chameleon has been crouching for the Summer, as part of the Devon Recycled Sculpture Trail.  The bottletops may - or may not - remain on for the Stourhead Trail, when Chameleon returns to its resting place on a large mossy fallen tree overlooking one of the Six Wells lakes.  

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

New work started for the Trail

We have a few forthcoming events booked to show some of our work together, prior to the Stourhead Sculpture Trail.  The Sustainability Show in Taunton (19 June) and Frome Green Fair (10 July) are a couple of them.  Please come and see us there!


Fiona is  embarking on a new set of work for the Stourhead Trail, amongst other venues.  'Heron' is starting to take shape, after sourcing some interesting scrap steel forms for it.  I've rummaged for old tools, clambered over scrap heaps and filled a corner of my garden and studio, thanks to Pylle Motors and friends for kind donations of scrap steel, including a ton of horseshoes!

Still looking for recycled bottle tops, buttons and beads for my planned giant 'Chameleon'.   Made of steel, wire and colourful recycled materials,  it will hopefully be decorative and fun.   It has a few other venues booked, so an exciting Summer ahead!  Mid-construction, 'Chameleon' is due to go on tour to the Salvo Fair, Knebworth (24-26 June), where visitors can watch me making the structure!  The final decorative touches will be added by members of the public, together with me at the Larmer Tree Festival (15 July).  The effect will be hopefully vaguely mosaic and jewel-like (Gaudi-esque with a flavour of African beaded wirework).  The aim is to create further awareness and enjoyment of art and recycling.  'Chameleon' then tours to the Devon Recycled Sculpture Trail '11, and last but very importantly, it will be installed on a mossy fallen tree trunk overlooking one of Stourhead’s lakes.  This features as part of our Sculpture Trail in September entitled “Beyond the Garden Gate”.  Though contemporary in style, it will reflect its surroundings, and be reflected by them.

Any contributions of colourful bottle tops, buttons and beads much appreciated.  Thanks for donations already recieved!  Fiona