Flight of the Cranes

A contemporary art installation featuring hundreds of origami paper cranes alongside a range of artists' work inspired by The Great Crane Project.  
WWT Slimbridge Wetlands Centre 19 July - 03 September 
A Somerset Art Works curated exhibition with the Somerset Crafts group of artists and makers.

Paper cranes awaiting hanging

Don't be fooled by the smiles,
 it was a very high wobbling tower

Paper Crane Installation
Artist Lucy Lean with school and community groups.  See previous blog posts for more information on this SAW co-ordinated project.

Gillian Widden - Installation: Circle

  

Crane inspired jewellery - Erica Sharpe

Viv White - Textiles

Sue Heys - Stained Glass

Billy Rhodes - Metalwork

 Also showing in Somerset during Somerset Art Weeks 2012
http://www.somersetartworks.org.uk/openstudios/somerset-craft-centre

Stitched Cranes

Lucy Lean has been stitching cranes in preparation for the Slimbridge Exhibition.

Graduating in 2010 with a BA in Fine Art, Lucy's work is inspired by naturally occurring patterns and forms. The processes she uses are experimental and often involve a repetitive use of stitch and cutting, painting and layering.  www.lucyleanart.com

Crane School Workshops

Engaging with local schools is an important part of our work.  

Othery School workshops

Artist Kitty Hillier led crane cut-out painting workshops at Othery and Slimbridge schools, developing the Slimbridge/Somerset link existing within The Great Crane Project - the crane eggs are hatched and reared at Slimbridge before being brought to Somerset for release.

Students learnt how to mix colours, to work together in pairs and groups, to plan their designs and collaborate creatively

Creating art works to be showcased around the village

Lucy Lean led a series of paper crane making workshops with Schools in Somerset and also Slimbridge school in Gloucestershire. 

Project assistant Belinda Brownlee at the Slimbridge School workshops held at WWT Slimbridge Wetlands Centre

Beautiful charts kindly donated by the UK Hydrographic Office Taunton made into large paper cranes

Lucy Lean helping students

Damon Bridge gave a talk on cranes and brought in a stuffed crane ( a real young crane that had met an early demise, slightly creepy!)

Painting workshop with Slimbridge School

Paper Crane making at Sunny Hill Prep, Bruton School for Girls

SAW thanks Bruton School for Girls for sponsoring Lucy Lean's role within the project.

Short Breaks Crane Works

In June SAW worked with the Somerset County Council Short Breaks team to offer a day of crane inspired activities for children and young people with disabilities.
Jonathan from The Great Crane Project led an interactive crane talk (sadly inside rather than at the Reserve as the rain was horrendous) then Hilda Vaughan guided a variety of crane inspired creative activities. Some amazing work was made by some very enthusiastic young people - well done everyone!


Photos - Nisha Haq for SAW

Artist Hilda Vaughan demonstrating activities

Artist Kitty Hillier assisted Hilda

Painting the cranes

Great Work!

The cranes painted will be exhibited at The Avalon Marshes Centre, Shapwick during Somerset Art Weeks, 15th - 30th September 2012
http://www.somersetartworks.org.uk/openstudios/somerset-craft-centre

Othery Village Crane Trail in Situ

SAW commissioned Nisha Haq to document the crane trail around Othery village for the Street Fair nishahaq.blogspot.co.uk

Kitty Hillier at the SAW stall (before the gazebo collapsed in the wind)

People came to find the cranes they had made

If you missed the crane trail at Othery come and see the cranes exhibited again during Somerset Art Weeks at the Somerset Crafts Centre, see http://www.somersetartworks.org.uk/openstudios/somerset-craft-centre