Today, we visited the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail on our FAD (Foundation Art and Design) trip. We began our trip by walking towards the temporary sculpture "Animal shelter" by Michelle Cain [2021], this sculpture is a wicker creation made out of dark and white steamed willow sculpted into the form of a badger. Themed around badgers being sited around the forest. Personally, I think that this is an interesting piece because I like how they have incorporated the animal of a badger into the hut style shelter but, I think this could've be improved by maybe adding more of the badgers features to the shelter such as possible other body parts (arms/legs). After first seeing this personally it made one particular artist come to mind, Jon Tremaine. Jon Tremaine is a Cornish wildlife artist who's piece "The Badger" sprung to mind, although Jon Tremaine typically creates pen and ink wildlife drawings as opposed to the sculpture by Michelle Cain. It was the head of the badger that reminded me of his "the badger" print.
Jon Tremaine, "The Badger" Link
["Animal Shelter", Michelle Cain, 2021]
The second sculpture on the trail that I saw was "Trees are Talking" by Robin and Isla Collings [2021], this sculptures main feature is the poem written by a nine year-old little girl named Isla about the forest. This sculpture was was crafted from 2-metre-high steel panels bolted together the material steel was chosen so that it would change colour in response to the forest environment. The poem aspect of this sculpture really intrigued me to this particular sculpture because it brings a literature aspect into the piece which inspired me to write my own poem in response to this sculpture (as written below). Personally, I think this might've been one of my favourite sculptures out of the entire trail as, it may be different for other people I feel as though it had the greatest impact on me. Although I couldn't think of a direct link to this sculpture through another artist as stated above I decided to explore the literature element of the piece and the sculpture that I chose that this piece reminded me of the most was "Learning Curve" by Gary Lee Price, as although their both clearly different sculptures structurally I think that the meaning behind Gary Lee Price's sculpture combined with the poem on the "Trees are Talking" sculpture being written by a nine year-old girl has a similar hidden meaning. I think my chosen sculpture is definitely in relation to the sculpture in Forest of Dean because being at the age of nine and being a child everything is a learning curve, you grow up learning and experiencing new things. Which I think is emphasised in the "learning curve" sculpture and in a way shows the literal journey Isla is going to undertake as she grows up after playing such a key literature role in this sculpture.
Gary Lee Price "Learning Curve" Link
["Trees are Talking" by Robin and Isla Collings [2021]
Artists in Forest of Dean
Walking through the Forest of Dean,
Stomping through the sheet of leaves,
yellow, orange, brown, no green.
Autumnal colours filling the floor,
teachers chattering,
wondering if we will see a boar.
Rain drops dripping from the trees,
catching all the wind,
and feeling the breeze.
The old pine trees standing tall,
clustering together,
never to fall.
The sculptures hidden waiting to be seen,
artists looking extremely keen.
Legs aching from the long walk,
lets call it a day,
and draw with some chalk.
poem by Dina Hurst
The next sculpture we came across is "The Heart of Stone" by Tim Lees, 1988. This sculpture is situated between the two rivers of the Wye and the Severn, and was created out of local stone. This statues form was designed to echo the shaft of the shift mine that the sculpture sits upon. Additionally the sculpture alludes the forest in a way due to it's fish-like shape standing prominently in the forest. I like this sculpture to an extent because the fish-like aspect intrigues me and interests me due to it being unusual but in a much more subtle way. However, the two pillar like areas of the sculpture towards the left don't appeal to me as much because they appear to me to be out of place and un-needed as they don't exactly add anything to the piece in my opinion. The sculpture I have chosen in relation to this one is the "Golden Fish" sculpture by Frank Gehry, built in 1992 in Barcelona. I chose this piece because like " the Heart of Stone" sculpture it's made to replicate the aquatic vertebrate a fish so although neither are realistic both use the curves of a material to give the illusion of a fish.
["The Heart of Stone" by Tim Lees, 1988]
The next sculpture along the trail is the "Iron Road" by Keir Smith, 1986. This sculpture consists of twenty carved jarrah wood railway sleepers, it was created in this way to represent the previous train line that ran through the forest. Each of the sleepers were carved differently to illustrate different aspects of the forest itself from things such as smelting, writing, charcoal, hunting ext. I personally found this sculpture really interesting because all twenty are different not a single one are identical and the resemblance of the story within the forest really excited me after finishing this work I couldn't help it but sprint to my sketchbook and draw in my opinion my favourite sleeper that was the one with the cart wheel carved into it. At the end of the trail I took out my sketchbook and my pot of ink and began to draw with a lot more spontaneous materials I used whatever I could find in the bottom of my bag which ended up with me using snapped cocktail sticks, some old used cotton buds and a stick that I picked up along the walk. Although I worked in a very spontaneous and unusual manner completely stepping out of my comfort zone I was really impressed with my outcome and surprisingly enjoyed working with the tools and materials. After reacting to this sculpture in an artistic way I believe that I gained a greater fondness of this sculpture that makes me want to explore each of the sculptures sleepers in more depth and possibly explore into drawing each of the twenty sleepers. The artwork I have chosen in relation to this piece is "Le Train dans la Neige", Claude Monet, 1875 I have chosen this piece by Claude Monet because the way I thought of it Claude Monet's painting in a way portrays the past of the railway that run through the forest in which this sculpture is used to symbolise. Also, after looking at Claude Monet's painting "Le Train dans le Neige" I found it really interesting and it made me visualise how the train that previously ran through the forest used to be and I think comparing a piece like Claude Monet's to this sculpture really is eye opening into exploring the story behind this train sleeper's sculpture.
["Iron Road" by Keir Smith, 1986]
As we progressed further into the trail we came across the "Soil Unsoiled" sculpture, Khady Gueye and Zakiya Mckenzie, 2021. This sculpture is a charred monolith that had been etched into with a poem, the poem itself was written to contemplate the pre-existent experience of racial inequality in the Forest of Dean. This sculpture like the "Trees are Talking" sculpture entices me a lot more than any of the others and again I think it's the literature element of the piece. I like a literature element being incorporated into a sculpture because it gives the sculpture multiple meanings from the poem to the sculptures stand alone meaning. I personally really enjoy looking at this sculpture because the poem having an deep meaning about racial inequality that is a historical matter and really gives an interesting take and factual insight into the racial inequality in the history of Forest of Dean. Also the actual structure to the sculpture I think works very well because it's high rectangular shape acts as if creating the list like form to the poem, making it appear to be book-like and reminds me of an old roll of a list in a library. The sculpture I have chosen that reminds me in a way of this sculpture is "Osseous" by Tracy Nicholls, I decided on this sculpture because I feel as though the shape and form of Tracy Nicholls sculpture is very similar to that of Khady Gueye and Zakiya Mckenzie. I find Tracy Nicholls' sculpture interesting because I like how the glass looks so thin and aerated because of the holes and gaps which seem freely formed and created. As well as the natural-like elements to the sculpture that although very simplistic is really effective.
["Soil Unsoiled" sculpture, Khady Gueye and Zakiya Mckenzie, 2021]
The next sculpture was "Yaşasin" by Pomona Zipser, 2016. The direct translation for the name of this sculpture in Turkish is 'Hooray', that represents the sculpture really well because this sculpture was designed to be played around on and climbed upon. Kind of like something just waiting to be explored. On top of the playful aspect of this sculpture by moving around and becoming fully interactive with the sculpture allows you to see the forest from different perspectives and get views you wouldn't be able to achieve elsewhere in the forest. Although, at first visually this sculpture appeared quite complex and unusual not something i'd particularly be drawn to after climbing on the sculpture and experiencing the views and angles you get to see the forest from. I began to fully engage in the piece and really get a feel for it's purpose. Although the sculpture i've chosen may not seem like a traditional artistic sculpture to choose out of the mass options I decided on the "Jungle gym" by Sebastian Hinton, Chicago, 1920. I decided on the very first Jungle gym (climbing frame in UK terms) because I wanted to compare the playful, interactive element of the sculpture to a climbing frame of similar structure that's soul purpose is to interact and play. The climbing frame is a frame built up of multiple poles traditionally, that was designed for children to explore and play. The height of a traditional climbing frame is to allow children to view everything in that radius from a bird's- eye view/ long distance.
["Yaşasin" by Pomona Zipser, 2016. ]
Along the trail in-between sculptures we walked past the "Shovel bugs" Land Atelier, 2021, this was a smaller scattered sculpture across multiple trees. This sculpture involved bright red bugs (almost like a primary red colour) which were created out of garden trowels to highlight the hidden bug life that is typically unnoticed below and on the forest floor. I find this sculpture interesting because it gives off an up-cycled aspect to the sculpture, making it appear both creatively ambitious, technical while maintaining a good for the environment approach. Also, the (primary) red colour of the shovel bugs makes them stand prominently against the forest background again emphasising the sculptures main role to highlight the hidden bug life. My chosen artist for this sculpture is Matt Wilson's, Airtight Artwork, again following along the lines of recycling materials Matt Wilson uses recycled Kitchen utensils and tools. His attention to detail is so precise and specific to the recycled materials he uses you can't see any aspect of the materials original form in any of his pieces. I think this is very interesting because, you may often see jewellery being made out of recycled spoons such as rings and bangles but the creation of bug life using the recycled kitchen utensils and tools is really unusual and unique. I find this very interesting and definitely want to explore into the process of using recycled materials to create a sculpture of something like I experimented with in my rotation week in the 3D studio.
["Shovel bugs" Land Atelier, 2021]
The final sculpture we went to along the trail was "Threshold" by Natasha Rosling, 2019. This sculpture has been made into a crevice formation to allow it to reveal the patchwork of subterranean rock faces which were cast from the Clearwell Caves iron ore mine, showing the history and work (labour) through each of the marks the miners left engraved in the rock. I am very fascinated by this sculpture because it's printed from the handcrafted marks of the miners who lived and worked within the Clearwell caves. Also each mark is so unique and detailed there is a story to be told within each singular mark, really emphasising both the hand-craftsmanship and the history this sculpture holds. I also think this that the way the sculpture has been designed as though it's two halves and curves to create the illusion of a cave. I personally just think this is a very successful sculpture and I really enjoy the way the shape, form, size and texture of this sculpture all come into play and combine to give an overall experience. The piece I have chosen in relation to this final sculpture is the Altamira Cave paintings, I have chosen this art because the way the marks are engraved into the rock of the "Threshold" sculpture by miners and humans historically. Is very similar to my chosen art of the Altamira, Spain, Cave paintings because the cave paintings are renowned prehistoric paintings involving earlier on just human hands before progressing to images of bisons and other collective animals showing intelligence within the human species. But, more importantly the hand paintings using charcoal and polychrome. That was the main reason I chose this as my related art piece because they were cave related and created by humans similarly to the "threshold sculpture" making it relevant to the sculpture apart of the trail. Like the "threshold" sculpture on the trail the prehistoric element of the human evolution being involved in both really appeals to me and fascinates me into researching even deeper into the background of the "threshold" sculpture on the trail.
["Threshold" by Natasha Rosling, 2019]
If you enjoyed reading this blog post and wish to continue reading my viewpoints on different sculptures, artworks, materials and techniques. Follow my blog page and keep updated with the latest arty info from yours truly. Also, If you wish to go to the Forest of Dean and explore all of the sculptures hidden sculptures amongst the trail yourself, use the link to the map below!
Sound recordings from trip will be linked in comment section soon... keep an eye out if you're interested in hearing the chime of the amazing sculptures, and natural sounds of the Forest of Dean.
I am currently working on my next post for my blog which will be on "the Rules of Art" Exhibition at Cardiff Museum, will hopefully be uploaded within a week. For anyone wanting to give it a read :)
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