Our latest project installation is in place for the parish to see! This part of the Greater Creative project was supported by local arts organsation Platform Thirty1 and was funded by ‘Arts Council England’ and ‘Creative Civic Change’.
One of Greater Creative missions is to develop opportunities for residents to be creative & playful in the parish.. this project has certainly done that!
The projects Lead Artist & Curator Sally Newham (who was raised in Blackwell) led the artistic vision of the project and delivered family workshops/packs for the project.
The Winter Woodland has been a joyful riot of festivity for Blackwell Parish! This project has brought together five artists and 300+ residents in Blackwell parish to create a beautiful woodland installation for the parish and beyond to enjoy this Christmas. It also had 4 additional family workshops (and 50 home packs were made and distributed) for parish residents to come and make their own trees for their own windows at home. We have slowly begun to see a ‘Window Woodland’ now appearing around the parish beyond this site.
Lead Artist Sally Newham was inspired by Greater Creative’s initial idea for a theme of ‘The Grinch’… and this rolled into the final pieces that are now on display! Sally constructed 18 ‘Wonky Willow Trees’ for the installation and the six 6ft ones of these were taken into community settings with other artists where they created their own trees throughout November in response to the ‘Grinch’ brief.
Here’s who was involved in creating the community trees:
Emerging Artist Wendy Ducksbury with the Westhouses Community Association Knit and Natter group.
Artist Rachel Scanlon with all of the children at Blackwell primary School
Artist Stephanie Coley (who lives in the parish) with all of the children at Westhouses School.
Artist Emma Reynard (who lives in the parish) with some of the children at Newton Primary School.
Artist Rachel Sacnlon with Residents of Hilcote.
Artist Emma Reynard with residents of Newton.
The tree lights were lit last Sunday (5th of December) where the makers of the trees (artists and residents) came together (just like the 'Whos' in the Grinch) to celebrate amongst the trees and we all enjoyed some some mulled punch and mince pies whilst connecting as a parish community.
After this project is taken down in early January the tree structures will be finding a new home in Hilcote, where they will kickstart a brand new exciting creative project with the Hilcote Environment and Leisure Project (H.E.L.P) voluntary group!
Stay tuned for that!
Here's some more images from the event!