Arcadia to Armageddon progresses at Stourhead

Hard at work on the second installation at Stourhead the National Trust estate in Wiltshire. This will show the transformation from peace to war - one of a series of installations commemorating the effect of World War 1 on the community.The wall is made of corrugated iron and old doors.

Another bird lands at Bird Henge

Birds of a feather flock together. Another bird joins Bird Henge.  We are planning to create a  pecking woodpecker on the redundant telegraph pole.

Installations at fountains Abey and Studley Royal

Interesting to see installations in the follies at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal for the National Trust.     Above Hall of Mirrors by Irene Brown in the Octagon Tower (exterior below).

Below Diana the Huntress  and Neptune by Simon Costin in the Temple of Piety 

Below Lost Property by Gary McCann in the Temple of Fame

Below Scavenger by Gary McCann in the Banqueting House

                                           Below an Angel in the ruins of Fountains Abbey

From Arcadia to Armageddon at Stourhead

Aided by a wonderful team of volunteers, we held our second workshop at Stourhead, the National Trust property in Wiltshire to prepare for our second installation there commemorating Word War 1 This will be a large mural with sculptures showing Arcadia to Armageddon, the change from  peace to war. Above we laid out some of the pieces made by the participants on a pile of gravel. Below Diana, one of the National Trust volunteers, with  a biplane she made.

Camel in a railway carriage

 We are busy preparing for our next drop in workshop at Stourhead, the National Trust property in Wiltshire .on May 28th . This is connected with our second installation, "From Arcadia to Armagedon" will show the transformation from peacetime to wartime in World War 1. Anyone  can drop in and lend a hand.

 For the third installation later in the summer on the theme of Gallipoli and the Middle East we are creating some pyramids to emulate those at Giza outside Cairo. The largest will be about five feet high and the six pyramids will be in the same proportions as at Giza. On one side of each will be an image. Here are two of them drawn by Paul. Camels were used in large numbers in the Middle East theatre of war. The photo below from an exhibition at the Keep Military Museum Dorchester shows a train load of them. Camels were used to carry men and weapons.

Drift wood beasts and Egrets at Bristol seaside

We have been exploring the area round Severn Beach to the west of Bristol over which the M48 and M4 soar on the Severn Crossings.  Above and below some driftwood sculpted by the water and delivered by the high tides. We are entering a competition to find artists to create artwork round Severn Beach.It was once called the Blackpool of the south but nothing remains of the Blue Lagoon and the other attractions.

Below some Little Egrets on the salt marshes.The area is a favourite with birdwatchers. Egrets  used to be rare but are now quite widespread. Twitchers no longer twitch with so much excitement to see them.

The remains of the old car ferry at Aust. There is a famous image of Bob Dylan at the ticket office in 1966.

Trip to France

Paul, Rachel and Evie recently visited France , The Marne Valley to be precise . They found a great museum of Outsider art called The Fabuloserie in a village called Dicy ,(a couple of hours south) which had some amazing contraptions and sculptures in a park next to the museum .

 Above the amazing "manege" by Pierre Avezard 

 An incredible place to visit ,for more info about The Fabuloserie here is their website : http://www.fabuloserie.com/?lang=en