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

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

Owl Tree at Stourhead

Back at Stourhead installing stuff for the Beyond the Garden Gate sculpture trail to be in place throughout September. Paul painted an owl on the Owl Tree which has owl sculptures on it. The two little owls in the holes above Paul's painting are by Anthony made with recycled glass.. The flying owl in the lower image is a sculpture made from a recycled car fender by Anthony. In the distance it looks like a real bird to the confusion of twitchers.

One of the themes of the trail is the legends of Ancient Greece and Rome which inspired the Hoares, creators of the iconic landscape garden. The owl was revered as a symbol of wisdom in Ancient Greece.

Scraptors install more works in Stourhead Sculpture Trail

The Scraptors got very wet and muddy installing Herons in one of the ponds at Six Wells on the National Trust property of Stourhead for the sculpture trail to be in place throughout September. Above is Anthony's Egret meets a creature from the Deep.  Fiona's large scrap steel Heron was a bigger job to install and a great relief when it was in - see images below of both Herons being installed. 

Below is Anthony's Giant Barn Owl Flying and Fiona's Copper Owl in a large dead tree. Paul is going to paint the whole tree to resemble an owl and it reflects the Ancient Greek veneration of owls as symbols of Wisdom. Other owl sculptures  have been placed in the tree by Paul and Rachel. One of the themes of the trail is the classical mythology represented in the artworks in the house and garden of Stourhead. .

Spider in Making for Stourhead

Antony has laid out a giant spider's web on his lawn ready for the sculpture trail at Stourhead in September and this is work in progress on a spider. The body and head were in a previous incarnation an ironing board. The eight metre web will hang between two trees in the trail. The spider will be about to pounce on a trapped insect.

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

Heron in progress

One of our Herons by Fiona - in the making.  Legless and still one-winged!  

With both wings

Hoisted up on high for the legs (+ extensions) to be welded into position

Thanks to John Shepherd Feeders, who have provided the steel base, it should soon be completed.