A Physically Interactive Sculpture

During my holidays I encountered a sculpture which for me provided more fun and interaction than any other I've met. It was the Lakeland Panorama on the sea front of Morecambe, created by Russ Coleman in 2004. It reflects the view across the Bay of the Lake District fells.

From afar, it's clear that this piece of work is big and unavoidable. If you are walking along the promenade, it's hard to ignore it. Most people have to turn and look, or sit and watch. Lake District lovers, like myself, have to see if we can look across the Bay and name the distant fells and link them to the panorama sculpture.

It's possible to walk by it, on both sides but in between it's like the wings on a stage. Because of this, when people walk through or behind it, you see the occasional bobbing of heads, so passers-by become the temporary cast of an ongoing live performance!

Naturally it's the perfect place to play hide 'n' seek or peekaboo. Next time, I'd bring some hats and other accessories to develop the characters one can see on the fells, the water and by the seaside. Puppets would work well here too. The area in front of the panoramic panels provides a natural stage. It's calling out to be a performance area.

The panorama is constructed of four panels of metal, one of which rises to 8ft high. It's been made from the same steel as the Angel of the North so it has rusted gently to a reddish-brown finish.   Aside from the wave-like look, I loved how the sand has been caught and gathered by the sculpture, adding to the overall effect and increasing the play value. 

I'm so glad, this sculpture is regarded as a work of art and not a piece of playground equipment subjected to EU play regulations. The panels provided an interesting balancing challenge for one teenager. When I had a closer look, the panels provided a narrow sloped beam which made me realise what a good sense of balance this kid has... my son decided against trying this.

The choice of fells depicted fits in largely with the theme of the regeneration of Morecambe, known as The Tern Project. A fun challenge for people of all ages is to work out which of the fells have bird related names. Most of them on the Panorama do. The names have been created from raised steel lettering which add to the multi sensory appeal of this work. 

One of the reasons we have public works of art is to inspire us. To help us think about an aspect of people, place or activity and to lead us to ask questions which may not have occurred to us before. The Lakeland Panorama certainly helps passes by use this part of the promenade in different ways and think about the view across the Bay. Afternoon stroll anyone?

A Pebble Mosaic and Random Acts of Discovery

Very often my blog posts are based upon random acts of discovery. An incident, event or landscape feature appears during my daily life which just lends itself nicely to a blog post and this is one of those.

During my holidays, I was wandering down the main shopping street in Lytham trying to avoid Tiger Woods, Lady Gaga and any other celebrities which might pop up and surprise me whilst putting in an appearance at the Open Golf Championship. At Clifton Square, I came across this pebble mosaic called "Paradise Garden"...

It reminded me very much of an embroidery sampler with its level of detail and illustrations depicting local connections. After some searching on the Internet, I found out that it was created by Maggy Howarth, an expert craftsperson who has written the definitive guide, the Complete Pebble Mosaic Handbook. This is well worth buying if you wish to create a similar feature in your garden or outdoor space.

The centre of the mosaic has the red rose of Lancashire as the feature, made, of course from lots of red pebbles...

My favourite illustrations were definitely the fish around the outside which contrasted nicely with the black sea and slate waves...

I liked the use of contrasting sizes of pebbles to add detail especially of the local wildlife...

And it was lovely to see our native red squirrel featured...

Local industries were highlighted. Lytham is a seashore community just south of Blackpool...

There is a beautiful windmill on the sea front that is a key feature within the townscape...

The next day, I happened to be wandering along the promenade in Morecambe in search of a nice cafe and ice cream. If you look carefully, there happens to be a feather-textured surface weaving its way down either side of the walkway, occasionally intertwining...

As I rather liked how the windblown sand had become trapped within the design and actually added a complementary dimension to it, I stopped and took a closer look. I had a feeling I had seen something similar...

The stonework was also designed by Maggy Howarth. Another random act of discovery!

A Fish Trail not a Fishy Tale

Last week my son and I went to visit Hull. This is not a regular destination on most tourists' "to do" list when exploring England, but it has many hidden surprises including the Fish Trail, which is one of the most inspired and quirky public works of art I have come across.

It was created by Gordon Young and a team of sculptors and artists in 1992. It is standing the test of time both in terms of the robustness of the works and its popularity. At least 3 of the pieces have been refurbished and several have been moved from their original position owing to the roadworks and other changes. However the trail is still fresh and fun to do.

It is a collection of more than 40 fish sculptures laid out in a trail around Hull. It made me realise how little fish I know - for every letter of the alphabet has a fish. The trail begins with a shoal of tiny Anchovies and ends when you meet the Zander. In between there's Naucrates Ductor, Garfish, Icefish, John Dory and a Lumpsucker, to name but a few.

We picked up a leaflet at the Tourist Office and followed the maps and guidance notes. This is necessary. Many of the sculptures have been discretely placed to blend in with the surroundings rather than be garish and in-your-face. For example you have to look very closely to find the red herring below...

The Fish Trail is a wonderful example of how carefully-placed interesting pieces of sculptures can help people explore an area and discover places and parts of a town that they may not normally realise exist. Very often classes develop guides to their local area or a walk as part of a local studies project. The Fish Trail demonstrates that this can be so much more than a "stop and look here" approach. 

The beautiful lobster quadrille cut into Cornish slate below used to be outside a bookshop. The quote at the top says "Will you walk a little faster" and is taken from the story of Alice in Wonderland.

The haddock is accompanied by another book reference. "Blistering Barnacles" from the Adventures of Tin Tin. It's one of Captain Haddock's many exclamations! Thus people of all ages can learn a little more about quotes, books and language. 

The sculptures go well beyond pavement art. For example the shoal of flying fish go up a wall and down again...

We spent ages searching for the starfish, expecting a metal or stone example. Eventually we found it carved into this boulder of pink shelly limestone...

The trail also celebrates new works of art and making these an integral part of the cityscape. For example, the Filleters Gate by Hilary Cartmel below marks the entrance to the old fish market...

There is lots of word play and fun to be had with language. Who says that environmental print has to be serious :) For example, where else would you find the plaice but marking the four corners of the Market Place! The umber fish were branded into the timbers of the Victoria Pier which extends out into the mouth of the River Humber. So one can joke about the Umber on the Humber.

And naturally the monkfish is situated on Whitefriargate... 

I also wonder how many passers-by realise that the shark is situated outside a bank. All the fish have been sculpted to portray the size and detail of each fish with reasonable accuracy...

One or two works are getting rather faded. Below the dogfish is chasing a catfish, but I couldn't fit both onto one photo...

And of course, the electric eel is sited by the electric substation. In the photo below, the eel gently curve around the corner. The sunlight and shadow made it hard to see... 

The Fish Trail is interactive in other ways too. The guide tells you which of the sculptures are suitable for rubbings to be taken. So children can take paper and crayons on the journey and undertake this activity too..

For geologists and rock hounds, the Fish Trail is more than public art. The metal and stone work used are varied. In fact the Hull Geological Society have produced geology guide to the trail celebrating the sheer variety of rock used.

Quite honestly, the Fish Trail has given me real food for thought in terms of the potential of artwork to help children interpret the local area or school grounds and to discover or view these places in different ways.

2012 is the Year of Creative Scotland and I think the Fish Trail shows just how creative a trail can be, enabling anyone to enjoy science, language, art, people and place by getting out and about in a playful way. Hooray!

Real Boats in School Grounds

In recent years, several schools and settings with whom I've worked, have managed to acquire a boat which are much-loved and well-used features. So here's some reasons why I think boats are brilliant...

1) Boats are often treasured by their owners. When they are no longer seaworthy, providing a retirement home in a school ground setting can renew their value and life in a different way. It's an opportunity to extend the life of a boat that is no longer fit for purpose.

2) Generally boats are highly regarded by children for play purposes. They are great gathering places for chatting or imaginative play that often extends beyond ship-based activities such as playing pirates.

 

3) Boats make great playspaces in their own right. Children end up using them in all sorts of ways. I've no idea why balls have ended up in the boat above. Loose parts and all sorts of items tend to be added, taken away and mixed into boat play.

4) Boats can have featured added to them. Below is the boat near the seashore in Aberdeen. I'm not sure who had the idea to create a specific play structure but this is quite a substantially-sized boat. Just imagine if the gang plank really did hang over the sea...

5) Boats can become shelters. This one is very posh. I think it could be a storage shed, but I'm not sure.

6) Boats can be a garden feature. I've blogged before about this boat which now has a home at Inveraray Primary School. The grasses at the front represent waves. This photo was taken at the wrong time of the year - before replanting happened in spring time.

At the weekend, I spotted this beautiful feature at a road junction in Kent. It is a collaborative effort between different groups, businesses and folk in the village. Note the use of a rope as the border and the slates on the ground as the sea. The creel and net make a beautiful addition to the overall effect too.

How to find a boat
I've had a wee trawl on the internet for advice about using real boats for play purposes and very little exists. Most schools and settings with boats put a call out within their local area. Very often, it's a parent, grandparent or other known adult who has an old boat somewhere that needs a good resting place. It's also worth trying Freecycle and other online forums as well as traditional notices in local shops.

Looking after the boat
It's important to check the condition of a boat. If it is damaged, then repairs may be needed to make it safe for play purposes. Some schools remove oarlocks and any bits where the children may trap fingers or slip and land on something that sticking up or out. Broken fibreglass will need fixed and rotten wood replaced. Drainage needs to be considered otherwise the boat will fill up with water. This may include drilling holes and thinking about the surface underneath the vessel. Very often a local authority approved joiner can do this sort of work. If not, look online or in the Yellow Pages for a shipwright or boat builder. Most boats will need to be secured to the ground in order to keep them stable and to stop them from tipping over. Each setting will need to decide on the amount of gear left on the boat. For example some boats have various attachments such as rings and ropes. Decisions about the risks versus the benefits need a case-by-case consideration.

Making the boat accessible

Some schools may feel the need to add steps or a ramp up and into a boat to make it easier for a young child to access. However there is value in making access a rite of passage. For example, you know you are ready to play in the boat when you can get into it! At Crimmond School the boat arrive with a hole in the hull which is a secret entrance way into the boat for smaller children.

Is a mast and sail necessary?
There are pros and cons to having a sail left on a boat. It can be a great opportunity for children to learn how to hoist the sail, and understand how it works before venturing onto water in a suitable boat. A mast and sail can look fetching and add value to imaginative play. Care will be needed as the sail can unexpectedly flap and bang into children, if not suitably secured.  Also, a gust of wind can catch the sail and cause the boat to tip over. However tempting it may seem, children will have to know that the mast should not be climbed. In the photo below, Adventure Aberdeen have a high degree of supervision in their outdoor space and the staff are used to handling boats.

Finally, there is a detailed blog post mainly about pretend play boats in over at Playgroundology which gives various examples and a link to a heap of photos. We can continue to celebrate the contribution of boats to play and learning in school grounds and outdoor spaces... when are you getting yours?

Dara - An Outdoor African Maths Game

This game from Nigeria requires two players or teams. It is played with stones or sticks in the ground. It's great for sessions where children finish at different times and need something to do, or as an impromptu family game when on holiday.

Make the game board

Using chalk, make a 5x6 square triangle as a game board. If you are on a beach or other suitable surface this can be drawn on the ground with a stick.

Find some counters

You can play alone or as a team. Each side needs 12 counters. In the photos the class used wood cookies and noggins. Stones, shells or other gathered counters can be used. So find and gather your counters from materials lying around outside. Make sure each side has recognizably different counters.

This is an example of an "illegal" game board as there are more than three counters in a row on both sides. It may take a while to get the hang of the game

How to play

1. If you are playing just one other person, take turns to place a counter anywhere on the game board until all counters have been put there. Whilst this is happening neither player can remove each other’s counters. Neither side can have more than three counters in a row at any one time. This is illegal!

 2. Take turns to move a counter into an adjacent empty square. The counters cannot be moved diagonally but can be moved up, down or sideways. The aim is to make three counters sit in a row (but not a diagonal one).

3. When a player manages to make three counters in a row, they can remove one of their opponent’s counters. A player can only remove one counter from their opponent in any one go, even if more than one row of three counters is created in a move.

4. The game is over when a player is unable to make three in a row with his or her counters. Their opponent wins when this happens.

Felt Feet

A wee while ago, I heard about making felt feet from a friend who advised me to contact Yuli Somme, a feltmaker based in Devon. Back in 2007, she had developed a process for doing this as part of an arts project to celebrate the winter solstice that was inspired by a walk she undertook in Norway retracing her father's epic escape during the Second World War. She heard tales of travellers who had stuffed wool into their boots for insulation which felted as they went about their daily lives. She experimented with this idea and felt feet were born!

For almost a year I've had a bag of Blue-faced Leicester wool sitting under my bed crying out to be used for such an activity. Yuli recommends this native British fleece as the most suitable. She tried lots of different types in her experiments. The original felt feet project was particularly striking as all the boots were creamy white and contrasted sharply with the moorland landscape upon which they were placed. Undertaking feet felting at the start of a walk and felting the wool through walking can be a poignant approach to a journey project or hike that merits a practical memory making activity.

Yulie sells felt feet starter kits and this lovely video shows the process - the children dancing are worth seeing, as are the boots walking over a car towards the end of the clip. As you can see, felting feet has a multi-purpose potential which I think many children would enjoy be keen to try:

At the end of the Drove Roads Journey, there was a final event for local people and passers by to enjoy. One of the journey participants, Sarah Hughes, had carried with her on the journey a large quantity of merino felting wool and offered to undertake some feet felting as part of the event.

It very much reminded me of making felt seats albeit with some sensible adjustments. If you do buy Yuli's Feetfelt Kit, then there's lots of helpful detail about the specifics of ensuring the felt feet have no holes or gaps. When Sarah felted my feet I chose the colours of the clothes I had been wearing during the week and asked for a rough check or tartan design because I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to see part of Scotland that I did not know very well. 

A lot of patience is needed for the felting process, unlike other felt projects I've undertaken. The soggy wet wool needs to be worn until fully felted. As it was the final day of the Drove Road Journey, I made the decision not to remove them until I had returned home. Once I arrived (about 6 hours later), I took off my boots and bread bags and rinsed off the felt feet before carefully peeling off the felt feet. Here they are at the back entrance to my house:

And here's a side view. Sarah had done a very through job in that there were no holes and the ankles are beautifully even:

Even the soles look lovely...

So this pair of felt feet are one of many memories created from the Drove Road Journey. A unique and lasting tribute to the event. Many thanks to Sarah for her wonderful work.

The felt feet are too close fitting to be used as slippers. However, having undertaken this activity, I'm now keen to try and make slippers using the original Blue-faced Leicester wool I still have along with other native sheep breeds for decoration.

Making Spiders Webs Outside

One class has been really enjoying their minibeast work this term. Recently, the children went on a hunt for spider's webs. This is a good foggy or rainy day activity as the droplets catch on the webs and glisten beautifully.

The natural progression from here was for children to try and make their own webs. This was a lot more successful than I'd anticipated. I had set up a child-sized web in the shelter. This cause great excitement. I had left half the rope free to that the children could add to the web, as they wished.

I provided a variety of ropes. The children had to decide where would be a good place to build their webs. Clearly, yesterdays hunt was successful in that most children opted for bushes and branches...

I was surprised by the amount of time spent on task. One child work on the web below for at least twenty minutes...

The tree became the web that caught people! Quite a few children and adults found themselves tied up here...

I also provided ribbons as an alternative to rope. These were also seized with excitement and put to good use...

Whilst not all ribbon was necessarily web-like, the overall effect was fetching...

And I loved the tangled web of rope which took two older boys quite a while to sort out...

Back at the classroom, the children wove wool onto paper templates. These may be used for further weaving activities. Or perhaps the paper plate spiders will each have a web to call their home...