Yorkshire Sculpture Park Trip

On Sunday, a group of ten of us visited this amazing outdoor sculpture site in Wakefield. Was a fun trip and made me want to go back again soon to see everything we didn't have time to see (it's a big place).

After a slight detour in the mini bus (part of a special tour of Sheffield!), we arrived at the beautiful 500 acre site and were spoilt for choice as to what to look at first!

We were all keen to see Andy Goldsworthy's work and so started off in the Underground gallery, where some of the most impressive pieces were sited indoors. We encountered a series of installations: logs cunningly intertwined into a giant egg shape...leaf stalks and thorns woven together so skillfully to create a suspended curtain... a dark, damp igloo-like room made from wood...stone stacked domes..a room of mud-cracked walls containing human hair...quite an experience and really awe-inspiring what this man can create with nature! Later we saw more art made from deer blood and sheep dung...luckily saved that til after lunch!

At lunch as we enjoyed a picnic, we created our own Goldsworthy-inspiredpiece of environmental art from found twigs and flowers. We were also inspired by a small child exploring the sculptures by climbing through them and several of us tried to see how small a hole we could fit through- passing through the sculptures was a fun, new experience and way of engaging with the art work!

I loved seeing such a range of sculptures in the outdoor setting and the way the work engages with the natural environment.

Here are some photos...if anyone else has got any from the trip, you could email them to me or post them here on the blog if you can.

What were your favourite parts of the day? Which sculpture did you like/ not like?


See www.ysp.org.uk for more info about Yorkshire Sculpture Park and here is an article and video about Andy Goldsworthy's work http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2031027,00.html

exhibition- get involved!

it's still not too late to get involved in co-ordinating the upcoming Art in the Park exhibition! If you'd like to be part of the Exhibition Team, which Julia's heading up, get in touch and come along to the next meeting...
Friday 13th April, 3-5pm @ Art in the Park office, Crookesmoor Road

It's an exciting chance to work as a smaller team of volunteers on a project that will involve a whole range of skills- events planning, publicity, curating the artwork, installation and creativity...get involved!

volunteers meeting

come along to the next meeting-be fantastic to see lots of you there! It'll be your opportunity to meet up with other volunteers and share ideas about upcoming events etc. You can also find out more about opportunities, training and trips. Come and decide which books and resources we should buy!

Weds 18th April
6-7:30pm @ The Red Deer(upstairs room), Pitt Street in the city centre

To find it- it's a pub on Pitt Street, which is off Mappin Street. Mappin St is off West Street. If you go past Bia Hoi, Pitt Street is the 2nd turning on the left, by the Blind Institute.

NB Show and Tell! Bring something creative to show or share your thoughts on something you've seen/done lately...

Sharrow Lantern Carnival

This fantastic community arts event will take place on 1st April as lanterns weave themselves through the streets of Sharrow lighting up the area and celebrating Spring!

Come along to workshops to build your lantern every Saturday and Suunday from now until the end of March at Highfield Trinity Church (London Road- near the Highfield Library-in the lower hall).Saturdays 1pm-5pm,Sundays 2:30-6pm

Just turn up and get making lanterns from willow, tissue paper and glue in whatever weird and wonderful shapes you desire! Theme: The enchanted garden! We're looking for volunteers to help out with publicity, performing, stewarding etc as well! Lantern volunteers meeting, Mon 26th March, 8pm @ Highfield Trinity Church

Everyone welcome- bring your friends and spread word of this event.

Ask me for more details or see www.creativeaction.net

Volunteer Workshop

Saturday 3rd Feb, 2-4pm @ Philadelphia Green Space, Upperthorpe (where Whitehouse Lane and Fox Rd meet)

Come and try out ideas for the next event 'Trail through the Trees' (11th Feb). Kerry, our artist facilitator for this month, will be leading us in experimenting with natural and recycled materials that will then be placed throughout the environment to form a trail of art works...including a rope knitted from plastic bags (get saving coloured ones and bring with you please!) and orange nets filled with diff grasses, leaves etc. I'm really excited to try these different things and hope to see you there! We'll be working outside for the first part and then will move inside to nearby Upperthorpe Healthy Living Centre to warm up!

Bring recycled materials, food packaging, plastic bags and bottles/containers etc with you if you can. Flask of hot drink might be good idea too! Are you coming along? Any questions?

Lebanese

Last night, after the meeting, some of us went for Lebanese food at Shiek's on West Street.
Lovely food and good company.
Here's a falafel recipe for thos of you who might want to cook some. I've not tried it, but it looks good!
http://www.cooking.com/recipes/static/recipe4858.htm

Walk in the Peaks

Come join us for a walk in the Peak District this Sunday (28th) . Most of the management committee people will be there and all volunteers and their friends/partners are welcome to join us for what should be great opportunity to chat and get to know each other better.

Details of the route and meeting points have been emailed around- meeting at Fox House Inn, Longshaw at 12.25. We'll return to Fox House Inn for drink and some food maybe at 3pm after a walk.
Can catch the 272 bus from the Interchange at 12 to get there. Maybe leave message on here and then can see who will be meeting there? Don't forget to keep your ticket and we'll pay you back.

I'm looking forward to it! Don't get out to the Peaks as often as like so be good to go on a route chosen by Rebecca and explore another bit whilst enjoying the company of lovely Art in the Park people! Hope to see you there!

So what's this all about??

New for 2007, this is the official Art in the Park blog...where everyone involved in the project can share information online. Less formal and public than the Art in the Park website, a 'blog' like this one can offer useful space for us to keep in touch in between events and meetings.

The blog can be a place that you can choose to access information on what's going on and coming up whenever is most convenient for you- so if you'd rather do that than check your emails, I'll be putting all the important info here from now on too so it's an alternative way to keep up to date.

In this space, you can all create 'posts' talking about anything you like that you think might be of interest to other Art in the Park people. So that could be sharing information about an upcoming event happening in the area, sharing photos, inviting people to a social or expressing your ideas about current arts or environmental issues or talking about upcoming Art in the Park events...its up to you! Hopefully the blog will grow to be well-used with time!

There will also be the chance to start discussions and ask questions in response to what other people have posted, letting us share ideas and information through the blog. You can do this by leaving 'comments' and you can read other people's comments. So we can

If you want some help on how to use this blog or have any questions- just ask me!

happy blogging!