Hedge Laying Training

On Wednesday 7th February, I observed more volunteers in the park, in hedge laying training. Hedge laying is a tradition in the park since it gets the hedges ready for spring. So again, it represents changes in the park and gives more ideas for my exhibition. The process of hedge laying is difficult because it includes lots of tools and stages to cut the stems, throw away the remains then push them to one side along with long wooden stakes hammered into the ground. You are  seeing changes happening, getting ready for the spring. I thought 'that must be hard, staying out in the cold and having to kneel down and stand up again and again, while using your hands with heavy tools'. For me, it was nice to observe in the fresh air, and apart for taking photographs, I also made some more improvised artworks out in the area and drew some quick sketches.

This is like the other times I've visited the park before. Only staying in the one place observing where the volunteers are cutting the hedge. It gets really cold not doing much. Some of the volunteers were doing hedge laying for the first time and some had done it before. So there was a variety of different experience in people. I decided to get a couple of rubbish bags and ask for a trash picker tool, to pick up any litter I saw around that area, because I had this idea to present only the litter I find around Hanley in my exhibition to prove a point how disgusting it is to have in an exhibition so it shouldn't be in the park. This was slightly new from my past experience, because in that area of the cauldron grounds at the edge of the park, there was lots of litter that I could see. In the other areas, where I walked more, I couldn't find much litter. Possibly because that part of the park was more focused on tidying with the amount of bins or too open to be seen littering. I collected all I could so I won't be short on litter, as a precaution. Just from watching, I learnt some new things about hedge laying and how important it is to the park. These photos are the process I saw through the day.

Later on, in the day, I started some more Goldsworthy-influenced artworks, as well as quick sketches in my small sketchbook, because I felt the need to do more than just photography. Photography is getting a bit boring for me and I'm hoping to try other things.

Collection of 'Natural Forms'

On Wednesday 30th January, I walked around the park again but instead of documenting the changes,  I went around using whatever materials I could find (e.g. sticks, leaves, stones, etc) and used them to make patterns and forms. These were inspired by how the artist Andy Goldsworthy makes his artworks, when working with natural materials outside. His way of working would be a good way  actually producing work in the park. I took photographs after making these patterns, which I'm hoping to use in my exhibition.
I remember working with natural materials before but not outside. It was more muddy working outside. Luckily it wasn't raining that day. I definitely was more physical in making the works as well. It was fun though, and wasn't too tiring.
This is important as this is the first of my artworks to be made for my exhibition. I'll print them out on a professional material, other than just plain white paper. I left the patterns how they are when I finished all of them and maybe people might see them for real as to see what time does to them in comparison to my photos of them. It might get them to look around more, if they are curious in seeing the fate of them after seeing my exhibition.
I'll be decisive of them to choose the best ones for my exhibition later on. I might make some more in the park as well to have a bigger variety of works to choose from. I also need to work out what should the minimum of artworks be in my exhibition and ask for help putting them up.

Volunteering in Hanley Park

Thursday 1st February, I joined in with a group of volunteers of students from Regents College in Hanley park to observe, explore and experience the events in the park. We met in the old bowling Pavilion, then went to collect the tools we needed and then we started pulling weeds from the soil and picking up sticks around and on the bowling green area. Then after some tea, we put out some bread for the birds around the nature reserve. It was lovely to meet everyone and to help in tidying the park. Before I took any photos, I had to be careful which not getting any front faces of the volunteers in them. I only had permission to take them from behind, which was a little tricky, but able to do.
This is opposition of what was happening there before, in the park's history. Claire told me that that was the place where drug dealers are known to have done their dealings and now what the volunteers are doing now is part of the restoration to forget those negative memories of the park. I felt like it was working because the nice atmosphere of friendly people come together in restoring the park voluntarily.

I was nervous in meeting the team at first but afterwards I felt more friendlier with them. It was peaceful watching them work together to make the park a better place, despite the cold slightly cold weather. As I walked in the park, that day, I noticed lots of seeds planted by the path had sprouted into snowdrops, which the volunteers had planted before. I like the activities they do that I've seen so far. I hope to go back for a visit in the next weeks and see more, if I can. I hadn't had any experience with disabled students before, which was a challenge.
Today, I met another lady in the park named Carole, who told me that there is an indoor space for me to use for my exhibition, which was a relief, because I was told I could have 2 gazebos for outside, but the concern for that was the weather. An indoor space would be more better for my artworks. I'll need to book a date for this indoor space.

That Thursday was also the last day of the park keeper Tom Pine before he left for somewhere new. I took one last picture of him before I left as a memoir.