Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail

Friday was the most gorgeous day, frosty and bright, too good to waste so we made an impromptu decision to revisit the Forest of Dean sculpture trail.

We'd last been there in early June 2008 and I hoped to see some new work as well as old favourites. Very much a managed space, on arrival we could hear the sound of heavy machinery indicating men working. The kind of noise that if I didn't know better I'd imagine it was the Iron Man from Ted Hughes' novel. 

The Heart of Stone

Tim Lees 1988

The fish-like shape touches on the geographic location of the forest, which is sited between the rivers Wye and Severn.

Heart of Stone with Mr B to give a sense of scale (2008)

Black Dome

David Nash 1986

Originally a dome made by packing together nearly 1000 pieces of charred larch, this work is slowly returning to the forest floor, crushed by the many feet that have climbed over it.

As you can see it was quite a different prospect on our last visit, in fact that time we very carefully walked around it. This time however it has almost completely melted into the earth, the larch vanished and looking much like a mini slag heap, soon there will be nothing to show that Black Dome was ever here.

Fire and Water Boats

David Nash 1986

Resembling canoes, these charred boat shapes hewn by hand from single pieces of wood, look abandoned and forlorn.

Iron Road

Keir Smith 1986

Twenty carved jarrah wood railway sleepers sit atop the embankment that in previous years carried the trains taking coal and iron from the forest.

Each sleeper illustrating some aspect of the forests past, from smelting to hunting to writing.

Ridiculously I forgot to bring my camera so I'm trying to take photos with my phone. This isn't usual for me and I spent as much time grumbling about the shortcomings of the phone's camera as I did in taking photographs. Stupid really, as phone photos are more than good enough for snapshots.

Iron Road appears remarkably unchanged with the passing of time.

The woods held in the cold air, and the deeper we went the quieter it became. Apart from bird song of course. 

House

Miles Davies 1988

A house for tiny, tiny people, a house as tall as the trees!

You can see that House is set among trees and I think I prefer this sculpture in the winter months when it settles into and becomes a part of the surrounding woodland.

Observatory

Bruce Allan 1988

This is one of my favourites, although I'm not sure I see it as an art work. Of all the sculptures this is the most 'man-made' (I know House is rusted, constructed metal, but somehow it blends with its surroundings) this is so very geometric and structured in shape, dominating the woodland that it sits in, looking like a piece of architectural salvage that may have just dropped right out of the sky.

A stairway leading to a dead-end. A stairway to the trees, from where you can contemplate the forest floor and the pond below allowing views otherwise hidden from us. 

I like the sense incompleteness. In our normal lives stairways always take us somewhere, this doesn't, it just is - it could be a part of a dream.

Raw

Neville Gabie 2001

Timber planted in the 1800's for warships was felled to reveal a glade in the woodland.

Taking a single oak and cutting it into cubes, using as much as possible from the tree, a solid large cube is constructed. Now occupying the place once occupied by the tree.

Echo

Annie Cattrell 2008

Cast from the face of the quarry in which it sits Echo attempts to provide a snapshot in time.

Cathedral

Kevin Atherton 1986

Tall trees in forest and woodland are often referred to as 'cathedral like' conjuring up a sense of wonder from outside of ourselves. This huge stained glass window alludes to that idea.

Although due to close at 4pm the friendly staff in the cafe provided us with tea and humungous pieces of cake at 5 minutes to 4, allowing us eat and drink in the relaxing warmth of a sunny window and not shooing us outside into the cold.

The sculpture trail is open year round, with a pay and display car park, loos, cafe and visitor information.

Soundcloud

Soundcloud's a brand new discovery for me. I can see I'll have to be careful not to get lost in it!

If you have a moment and like singer/songwriters do check this out. Beth lovely vocals and great songwriting.

A Winter Walk

One of my favourite local walks is near Littlecote Park. There are some fabulous old beech trees along the track, which look magnificent in all seasons. 

I did wonder if they'd be alright after the recent storms so today I took myself and Rufus off for a quick recce.

As we walked from the car, this is the first big tree I saw, not one of the beeches, but still saddening.

The Beeches still stand in all their glory, good oh!

Rufus in his element. 

Walks are no longer complete without a pocket full of treats - sausage mainly! and the only way to get him to sit still for a photo is to bribe him with . . . . errr, that would be sausage. 

Some of the trees have this strange graffiti. I guess it's been there for some while, each time I pass by I think there's a piece of work in this, but as of yet I haven't come up with any concrete ideas.

Looking so graceful, some of the most beautiful plants at this time of year are the dried and bleached grasses,

and the banks of moss which add a sense of age and otherworldliness, seeming to glow in the half light of the surrounding woods. 

Last minute Christmas Card!

I'd decided that this year I wouldn't have the time to make any Christmas cards. But, well you know how it is - two weeks to go and I think 'That's plenty of time' . . . . what!!

So last Saturday I cut some lino and got to printing, pronto.

Making a plate for the snowflakes.

Impatiently waiting for them to dry - I positioned a heater underneath which did help a little.

Sunday morning and making the proofs for the second plate while listening to Coope Boyes and Simpson. Being 'guarded' by Rufus, who likes to snooze in the doorway so he can pretend to keep an eye on the world and young Flynn who is much happier sitting outside keeping an eye on the path to my shed, so he can be the first to welcome any visitors.

Hanging up to dry on Sunday morning.

I took them all into the house and propped them on the radiators to dry off over night!

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and all the things you'd wish for yourself for 2012.

An Inventory of Al-Mutanabbi Street

I last mentioned this project  back in August, where has the summer gone!? It is so nearly Christmas. . . . now I sit with two small dogs curled up beneath my desk and listening to a Cold Play concert.

My trusty little wooden press.

These few images show me putting together my ideas for An Inventory of Al-Mutanabbi Street.

Family grief lent a bitter edge to my thoughts for this project which grew out of hurt and death. I thought of all those that lost loved ones and the fragility of life and the strength of a family to endure such loss when it is out of time. The project is both a lament and a commemoration of the singular power of words; words said, words not said, words remembered. . . .

The targeted attack on this 'street of the booksellers', such indiscriminate brute force to maim and kill, is ultimately futile. 

Books and libraries have been destroyed countless times, since 48 BC with the destruction of the Library of Alexandria, through Nazis Germany up to and including al-Mutanabbi Street. But, books will persevere because of the people who make them. 

And, as reliable as the turning of the seasons more poets, writers, artists and philosophers will bring their ideas into the light. 

My root goes deep,

far deeper than any History.

I belong in this place;

belong to this place

So pull me up, and

discard me even

and always a little bit of me

will continue into the light.

And,

although the children

of my children’s children

will not know my name,

still, I remain

like cherry blossom,

falling gently

into a clean blue sky.

Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman

I went with my friend Diana to see The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman, a Grayson Perry curated exhibition at the British Museum. 

He sets his new work alongside items, from the BM's collection, made by unidentified and anonymous crafts people. He uses these objects as a way of scrutinising a range of themes connected with our notions of craftsmanship and pilgrimage, ranging from holy relics, magic and shamanism to identity and contemporary culture.

Oh, and motor bikes. . . . .

Alan Measles' stunt double enthroned.

My absolute two favourite pieces. The delightful Our Mother and Our Father. Both pilgrims on the road of history, carrying the weight of many different cultures and conflicts . . . and, er, pretty much the kitchen sink in the exemplification that is, Our Mother

Tomb is well worth a visit, although I must admit to feeling a little envious that Perry could rummage at will through the museum's collection. The exhibition continues until the 19 February 2012

The BM is stuffed so full of goodies it's always worth a sketchbook trip, and the building itself is interesting. An impressive use of space, the Great Court in the BM is the largest covered public square in Europe, enclosed under a spectacular glass and steel roof.