I headed up North to do this sculpture at the Stendhal Festival. I hadn't visited the north of Ireland since the days when the British army was still driving through the streets like it was a war zone with their guns trained on pedestrians. It was very intimidating and a horrible time in the history of our island. Luckily peace has broken out and although it may take a generation or two to breed out the sectarian nonsense it really is a wonderful place to visit. Most people want to put the past behind them.
Stendhal is a family-orientated music and arts festival which takes place over three days in a little valley near Limavady. I had been invited by the organiser to make a little sculpture in the Art zone. It was wet and windy, the usual weather for a festival in Ireland.
Home away from home
Luckily I was staying in the home of Ross Parkhill, the festival organiser. He lives in an old mill and it is very idyllic and around 1 mile from the festival grounds. I had my own room in one of the outbuildings. I was happy with this, as to camp with the other plebs would have been awful in that weather.
Ross greeted me in the evening and prepared me dinner. We had never met before but instantly had lots to talk about. He has a son the same age as Fintan and even though there was lots of work for both of us the next days we stayed up till the sun was rising, smoking the peace pipe and drinking lots of wine and beer. It was a lot of fun talking about our dreams for the future and how sand could be a great addition to the festival. We were kindred spirits and like cogs, we just meshed.
The festival was still growing and they had a few bands I knew on the bill. I thought it would be fun to carve and catch a few tunes. But, I also knew I was there to work and it would be nice to carve to a new audience.
Wasted time
I began by compacting a block of sand. I used flexy forms which are just sheets of perspex clamped in a circle to make cake tins. The sand seemed Ok, although, a little soft. I expended a lot of energy that first day, wanting something tall to stand out in the field.
The first image was where I got to after my second day in the rain and gusts. I had the theme of wind on my mind and wanted to make a figure bracing herself into it with her dress blowing behind her. I was kneeling in front, roughing out the helm of her dress when she decided to collapse into my lap. I was lucky I wasn't too hurt although, my legs got a bit of bruising. It was late and I figured I would stop before I made any more of a mess. A bit of compaction remained and I would get a good night's sleep to think about what I would do the next day which was the final day of the festival.
Getting back to the Mill I meet with Ross and spent another evening and early hours chatting and watching the sunrise.
Cog in the machine
The following day, with a sore head and still no clue of what to make I found my sand pile just as I had left it. The festival-goers had not touched the scene of yesterday's disaster. Finally, I got an idea, close to where I was working was this metal planetary gear from a wind turbine. It really was a thing of beauty and very sculptural. I knew it would not be possible to make in sand but the idea of gears seemed quite apt for my experience of Stendhal. Even though I was new to it and a Southern Catholic in a Protestant area I fit straight in and was accepted . Even though my sculpture was a disaster I learned that it was more about the spectacle of doing anything to create interest was what it was all about. Many people passed by and shared their condolences for my loss. I set up a little area beside me so that children could make something out of the sand and began to give impromptu workshops. Parents sat around relaxing as I entertained their children.
In the sand I had left I just free-formed this little piece. Nothing too epic but between workshops and entertaining the folk it went down well. It turned into a really nice area in the festival with lots of families getting in on the action and making things together from sand.
These images were taken the next day when the place was emptying out. I really didn't have a moment to catch my breath with all the people I was talking to. You don't see the crowds because they were gone.
Burning the midnight oil
We had some lights the evening before and I worked until dark and finally returned to the mill and another evening with Ross. I felt a bit guilty that my sculpture was a disaster but for him, he was happy that I kept going and treated a nice little play area for the festival. and he asked would I return the next year to do two projects. Of course I would, I had so much fun.
Driving home I passed this mountain which some of you may know as apparently it was used in Game of Thrones which was filmed around this area. Just imagine it with snow and ice.
Thoughts on the matter
I had a lot of thoughts after all my conversations with Ross. We spoke a lot about philosophy and why we do the things we do. It really doesn't matter what you achieve as long as you enjoy the process of achieving it. I had wasted too much time compacting the sand and resolved that the next year I would just work with the pile of sand as it was. The children loved to just get stuck in and have instant play and I decided that is what I would do the next time.
Ps
Thanks for reading. I use PeakD to document my work as an ephemeral Sculptor of sand, snow and ice, amongst other things. This will hopefully give it a new life on the Hive Blockchain. Below you will find some of my recent posts.
HMS Nemo - sand sculpture
Statue to an unknown hero - sand sculpture
Renaissance - sand sculpture
I hope you'll join me again soon
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I am also starting to create NFTs of my sculptures and welcome you to my gallery where you can own a bit of ephemeral sculpture history.