Next week we plan to begin fabricating our piece for the Susan Carnegie Centre, Stracathro Hospital near Brechin. First of all we need to draw up full size templates as cutting guides. The images are projected onto boards making this process easier than having to square it all up like in the olden days!!!
Installation at The Ropewalk took place on Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th May. The old gates and railings were removed so we could begin digging out the new footings.
Some of the digging was easier said than done. Just a few inches below ground level we found the remnants of an old brick building. Hamish and Dave had to dig out he bricks and create a secure foundation for the railings.
Once the footings were dug the railings and gates went in without a hitch.
The linear nature of the piece makes it difficult to photograph in its entirety.
Luckily the sun came out just as we completed work on day two allowing me to get some lovely photographs of the shadows .
Ailsa has organised a series of workshops with local schools in connection with the Community Wood project. Pupils and students will work with her to design a series of sculptures which will be incorporated into the landscaping becoming permanent features within the wood.
Looking at natural forms; magnified pollen grains, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds from the native species planted on the site. A series of sculptures will emerge.
Pollen grains
Leaves
Seeds and fruits
Ailsa has started working on one or two ideas in the studio.
Selby High School students spent a day working on polystyrene carvings inspired by natural forms.
The gates and railings for the Ropewalk in Barton will be installed next week. Prior to installation we have accelerated the oxidization process on the Corten Steel. Corten is designed to rust and will eventually form its own protective surface and stabilise. This process can take anything up to 3 years to complete. We have developed a method of accelerating the process so when it arrives on site it will have the appearance of the final surface colour.
Before and after…. the bottom image shows the steel just a few hours after treatment.
Selby Community Trust and Groundwork North Yorkshire are pleased to be able to say that, after years of planning and preparation, work is finally complete to create a Community Woodland on Bondgate, Selby.
The project has been made possible with help from Groundwork North Yorkshire, grants from Big Lottery Community Spaces, The Big Tree Plant, Drax Power LFC, Eggborough Power, North Yorkshire County Council and the Selby Central Community Engagement Forum.
Over the past few months footpaths have been laid, and benches put in place, along with improvements to the car park.
Local schools planted the first of what will be over 5,000 native trees on the site. As well as the woodland and nature reserve, the field will comprise six areas which children from each of the six schools will have a hand in designing. Ailsa is currently working with the school children to design pieces of sculpture which will become permanent features within the Community Woodland.
On Friday 27/04 Ailsa presented the final maquette to the panel at the Susan Carnegie Centre, Stracathro Hospital. The reaction was very positive and the go-ahead was given for fabrication.
Work can now begin scaling the piece up to its full size.
A trip over to South Elmsall today to visit Kinetica Engineering where the railing panels and gates are being cut.
They panels are now all cut and are currently being assembled. Hopefully we will have the work back at the studio towards the middle of this week.
The shadows created by the cut panels are fantastic, I think. Can’t wait to see the whole thing installed!
