Design Workshops

So work had really begun on creating the Wildart Trail. I took my dog for a walk up the woods and saw lots of activity. A willow arch, well really its a tunnel has been started. It has a fancy diamond pattern built into the sides of it.
I also saw two large tree trunks lying near the entrance to the trail. I stopped to measure how large they were, as I know this will be a pair of totem poles which I will be doing some detailed designs for soon. A very interesting topic totemic societies, where people live in 'historical landscapes!' A very different way of explaining the world compared with our scientific logic in our techno western cultures.



5m long and 60cm wide at the bottom. The other 5m long and 40cm wide at the bottom

 The other thing which I have been busy with is, working with Herne Junior School. This was an amazing day in the classroom with pupils drawing. I was surprised on how into this the pupils were. Staff from Kent Wildlife Trust had brought boxes and boxes of stuff including games, wasps nests, beetles in petri dishes and loads of images and information. This was a lot to carry, but paid dividends in the quality of work produced. You might think 'oh you would say that though wouldn't you'! ..But...I am used to going into schools and working on subjects you cant see, and drawing from imagination with little reference material. As an artist it is my job sometimes to invent the reference material, so this was the opposite of that, and the children were really enjoying drawing things they could touch and see. This was a welcome change from what I am used to.


Real stuff to pick up and draw.



Designs to be transfered into artwork on the Wildart Trail



and a willow entrace archway/tunnel has appeared in the last week

My next task then; to create a series of short totem poles using the work generated in these classroom drawing sessions. In total there will be four posts one for each class we worked with. So all in all things are moving forward now, and real tangible things are happening.

Moving into the next phase.

So it's all good news and phase two will see the implementation of the trail realised, stuff made and installed. I understand there are one or two formal procedures or permissions required from conservation and national woodland authorities to negotiate, but I'm told it looks likely at the moment.

Work has actually started in preparation already: The Radfall is an ancient track with raised banks either side, which runs right through this section of the woods, has seen a lot Kent Wildlife Trust Volunteers working to remove trees on a featured section of the track. Work has been carried out once a week for about a month to reveal just how wide this old road is and how high the banks are. They really stand out as mossy green at the moment.


Volunteers have worked hard to clear this ancient road called the Radfall

This road would have been often used by cattle drovers probably taking livestock into Canturbury for sale. That is what we will feature on the newly cleared area. 'A step back in time' whith a figure walking to market with some animals most likley pigs.



It is surprising how wide this track is, actually it's not a track, it's a road. 



I used the new site as a location to take photos of my 'Febuary Sticks'.