The fallowfield Loop Sculpture Project

This project came about after I approached Sustrans for support practicing cutting for my CS30 Chainsaw Cutting and Maintenance Exam (I have been cutting for a few years but now with my CS30 I can cut in public places). Sustrans mentioned they would welcome any sculptures on the cycle path, this got me thinking, why not create a project where the local residents and users of the Loop can get involved and feel part of what happens around them, whilst at the same time the sculptures evolve from what happens on the Loop.

With the help of The Friends of the Fallowfield Loop I applied for Funding from Awards for All (Lottery Funding) and I was able to run two very popular 'Making sculpture using Nature' workshops in Highfield Park and a separate Teachers workshop 'The importance of exploration, discovery, failure and recovery' that encourages pupils and teachers to learn from mistakes and enables schools to make sculptures in their own gardens and nearby parks.

The public were invited to go on a 'Cycle for a site' along the Loop to look at potential spots for the sculptures.
Inspiration for the sculptures came from The Fallowfield Loop, in particular one day I was sketching and a family came walking along that seemed to embody the perfect essence of what the Loop is about.

The Fallowfield Loop Sculptures.

The sculptures look great, the site is fantastic and I am pleased to report that four days later there has still been no vandalism. Thanks to all those who attended the unveiling.

Installing the bases...

I could not have installed without Tom and Ken from Sustrans, thanks for your help and patience. We had to dig 2ft holes for the steel rods to go into, then poured in concrete. The rods will be fixed with a resin glue bond to the inside of the sculptures.

The Fallowfield Loop Sculptures - in progress

So they are still indoors, but are fully sanded and awaiting installation, that should be at the end of June.

The Fallowfield Loop Sculptures - Sanding in progress

All three of the sculptures have been cut, the final hand sanding is happening, a few coats of oil and they will be ready for installation.

'Art in the Park' - The Fallowfield Loop Sculpture Project

I held two very successful workshops 'Art in the Park' in Highfield Park, Levenshulme. members of the public were invited to join in and make their own sculptures using the natural elements around them. You can see images of this at www.theflsp.blogspot.com.
I think everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

The Fallowfield Loop Sculptures - in progress

I originally wanted to capture the movement that occurs on the Loop but when I started making sketches and maquettes it became apparent to me that a majority of users were families, and that it would be fitting for the project and my own practice to develop this theme. At the present time I am concentrating on creating a male, female and child. The male is cut very angular and solid contrasting with the female which in my mind will be soft curvaceous and rounded (she has not been cut yet). The child is to have no obvious sexual orientation but rather hold characteristics from the two 'adults'.
You can see male and child in progress.

Fallowfield Loop Sculpture Project

I am in the process of making three sculptures for The Fallowfield Loop. The Loop is an eight mile stretch of cycle/pedestrian/walkway through Chorlton, Fallowfield and Levenshulme. I got funding through discussing the project with Sustrans, (they own the route) that led me to Friends of Fallowfield Loop who have embraced the project with such enthusiasm it has really been great.

You can find out more at www.cycle-routes.org/fallowfieldloopline.

Friends of the Fallowfield Loop have been funded by the National Lottery through Awards for All.

Two Sisters

These are the same tree from Highfield Park, in Levenshulme. Obviously one trunk section is finished and the other is about to begin. I am hoping to make them a pair, and so for the time being they are the two sisters. This is a new departure for me into slightly more figurative work. This has come about from the shape of the trunks more than anything I think.

'Bulb' 6 months later

This sculpture is really improving with the elements. It still also feels remarkably smooth. A very nice thing to touch and look at.

RHS Show Tatton Park

Thanks to all the gardens that supported this collaborative project, without them we would have very different results.
The idea of this sculpture is that it embodies the the way in which we both work in the most simplistic manner. Justine is currently working with negative space and high- lighting negative space. I wanted to cut the wood as simply as could be and get a really nice smooth finish.
These small pieces were then put together by us to create shapes and forms that reacted to the garden they were in.
You can see more at www.cookandramchurn.blogspot.com

The Collaborative process

This collaboration has been worked on pretty much through email, blog and telephone. I have removed some images as they were part of a conversation that Justine and myself were having, I have left some relics so you can see how we worked (the text below would normally result in an email or phone call from Justine).

We will continue to collaborate and you can see this progress plus the full works at Tatton by visiting www.cookandramchurn.blogspot.com

RHS Show Tatton park Preparation

Working in collaboration with artist Justine Cook we will be making something for the RHS show at Tatton. Here are some ideas, the smaller sculpture on it's own would be part of a set of three but I'm still not sure if they would be strong enough in that huge environment to hold their own. It may be better to do something with the wood slices, hmm Justine I hand over to you...

A Birthday Commission

Black Spiral

This piece can be seen in the making further down this page. I burnt it with a blow torch to get a crisp black finish.

Curve

This is a piece of Beech Tree that came from Arley Hall Gardens.

The view through 'Bulb'

I think this picture is great. As you can see I couldn't have installed them on my own, so many thanks to all those who helped.

'Hug' and 'Bulb' at Arley Hall and Gardens

Second Installment

A concrete base has been put down to stop the plinth rotting and add stability. Each plinth section had to be drilled and then with help lifted onto the steel rods.

Installation Stage One at Arley Hall

Today we were drilling holes to concrete the steel supports into the ground. Thank you Barry for all your help.
The logs on the ground will form the plinths for the sculptures.

Polishing

Here is the first coat of polish, as you can see the Danish oil that I use really brings out the colour and grain.

Residency images by Liz lock and Mishka Henner

The residency went really well, during the week I was in Cruck barn with the live donkeys and goats, all very snow white especially when a robin flew in and sat on my head.
I met with Lord and Lady Ashbrook and decide where to place the sculptures in the grove. They will be going up in February.
Liz Lock and Mishka Henner arrived at the weekend to take images for press, very exciting and these pictures are courtesy of them both. Thank you Liz and Mishka.

1st Day in Residence.

I have been on site at Arley today, doing some hand sanding and talking to the public. Some very great feedback, I think everyone is looking forward to seeing them in place in The Grove. The thing which has really struck me today was how important everyone felt that the wood was from 'The Big Wood' on the Estate is now being turned into sculpture and returning to it's homeland. I was also impressed that the Beach wood is so soft some mistook it for sandstone and others plaster! It is really coming up very nicely.

On another note I was cutting at the weekend and managed to drop a new sculpture on it's head! That will be the end of that then, very annoying but today has made up for it.

It's coming together...

So I have got rid of that wheel look and done the first big sand, it will be sanded 2 or 3 more times with a power sander and then hand sanded 3 times. I have burnt one area to bring a bit of contrast to the piece.

more...

Hmmm looks a bit like a wheel from that angle, this is not good...

New carving...

Today had been a real pain. My mini carver kept on breaking down! Very annoying. So I am not as ahead as I would like to be but hey, that's the way it goes sometimes. Here are some images that show what's new.

Developments...

me working

Work in Progress...

Recent Workshop

Here is what i get up to when running workshops. These are just 2 of 12 sculptures that I made with a Primary School. We used concrete, wood templates and recycled nuts and bolts. What a mess and what fun!

Felicity Taylor, Headmistress said,
'A stunning collection of minibeast sculptures. The girls produced quality designs which were then translated into solid shapes. The girls found the whole experience fascinating and very rewarding. We were delighted with Rachel’s enthusiasm and imagination.'

Arley Hall and gardens

These images give you an idea of what it is like in the gardens, the top image is Cruck barn - maybe now you can see why I had such a debate about cutting at home or there!

Another work in progress

The black you can see on this piece is fungus, my husband thinks it smells of rotten fruit. Gave me a big scare when I saw how much it grew overnight but then i spoke to Dr David Rose (an expert I found via the Forestry Commission) and he reassures me it will go away as the wood dries out.
Not sure if either of these works in progress will make it to the gardens.

Work in progress

Here I am in 2006

Since this picture was taken I have done a CS30 (chainsaw cross cutting and maintenance course) and just want you all to know that it is all safe and I am very careful and have full chainsaw protection!

Cutting at Arley or my shed?...

I had a really hard time trying to decide whether to cut the sculptures at Arley Hall or at home. I know I am working at Arley in December and felt a bit of me wanted ownership of the wood at least for a short while. To have them in my shed is to know that the decision was correct - although at the time when Barry, my friend Kevin and myself were lugging logs into the van I wasn't quite so sure. I have a room full of shapely reminders of the gardens (seeds, pods, leaves, flowers) and can still feel a wave of calm thinking of them so until that runs out I shall cut them here in my shed.

The Wood

At the moment what I have is a shed full of Beech tree, my chainsaw and a few free weeks to have some fun! Barry has just been great, he manages the Estate and has prepared a Beech tree for me that we looked at in October. It was down due to rot - the same rot that is now blackening the wood but not to worry, once it dries out the colour will go back to normal and the grain will not be effected. Phew!

Inspiration For Arley hall, Commission in progress

'Red Oak' 2001

'Black Holes' 2005

'Three Holes' 2005

'Spiral' 2006

Arley hall and Gardens

I have been awarded a Sculpture Commission as part of Cheshire's Year of the Garden 2008. This is my Diary of events cutting and shaping wood in the lead up to March 2008 when the sculptures will be placed in the gardens for public viewing.


You can meet me in person at Arley Hall and Gardens from the 5th to the 9th December 2007 while I am on residency sanding the finished pieces.