http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Artist in Residence - New Ferry Butterfly Park Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:29:51 +0000 a-n rss generator a-n The Artists Information Company and contributors edit@a-n.co.uk technical@a-n.co.uk http://www.a-n.co.uk/img/logo.gif http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 So this is the first step of what will hopefully be an amazing project to work on. I say hopefully as the Butterfly Park is presently under threat of closure. The Landowners (Brock plc) want the land back, they won't say why but they want it back - even though they knew it was a nature reserve when they bought the land 10 years ago and have previously been big supporters of the local environmental network. It happened quite suddenly and there was a lot of publicity about the planned closure which has led to a great deal of local support and to the Local Council stepping in with a Compulsory Purchase Order. In the interim waiting period of haggling and appeals, my residency has been set up. In a bid to try and make the park more visible,(and secure the site as a permanent nature reserve) I will be curating a temporary sculpture trail and series ofart and nature based workshops over the summer months. Following the summer, I hope to be continuing my research, forming a visual archive of the Park and working on proposals for an on site Visitor Centre. This may be whilst based in a local empty shop where we can set up a temporary visitor centre and also use it as an artist base engaging with the local community over the months that the Park is closed to produce a body of work that can be used in any future funding applications and will lead towards an annual art trail and a final dissertation and installation in 2011. I'm hopeful..... If however, the Compulsory Purchase Order falls through and the unthinkable happens that the Butterfly Park is closed I have to have a back up plan. This plan (though I hope will never be needed) is to continue the archiving process and work with NFRAG (New Ferry Regeneration Action Group) holding the workshops in other local areas of interest. The final dissertation and installation will be a historical reference and memorial of the Butterfly Park.  But I'm hopeful..... That will never have to be the case. The Butterfly Park is an amazing sanctuary in the middle of a vastly populated and sadly run down urban area, it could be such a fantastic tourist site bringing in lots of new visitors with their money to spend in local shops, pubs and restaurants. Being a part of this fight has become so important to me, to save this  small piece of beautiful and peaceful land will undoubtedly take  over my life for the coming months and years. And this blog will be a (hopefully engaging and interesting) record of my residency here.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 The last two weeks have been eventful. I have had meetings with two members of Wirral Council, both very helpful. Pointing me in the right direction for smaller funding pots until we can get the problem of land ownership sorted. I have also met with Merseytravel arts Development Officer who loved the Butterfly Park and has asked me to submit some designs and ideas for the local station to see if we can link into the park (next door) through the underpass, showing the way to  the park for the passengers.   I've also met with three artists so far, I am wondering if I should maybe approach one or two more to have a more visual impact. The three artists so far are all keen to be involved though, I have chosen them for their particular practices. Karon Mc Gunigall who is thinking up some ideas at the moment that may involve chrysalis hanging in the trees. Emma Kemp whose work involves some amazing rope installations, she wonders how feasible it will be in the park and how visible it will be once the leaves have started to grow etc. However, she has now been on site and can visualise it, so is going to work on some ideas. Hayley Parfitt who isplanning on some brick installations linking into the brick making that has historically been produced in New Ferry; her work will make a series of insect habitats in the form of multi-storey flats. My own work for the site begins with a series of information boards but each will be botaniacal illustrations etched into perspex so that the visitors have to get up close to the plants and animals in order to read the boards. They will dotted around the park, some in quite secret places, I like the idea thta people have to really try and seek them out if they want to learn about the species. A second project will be to make some seating areas. One lonely bench on site at the moment. By using railway sleepers from the original site (the park was once the railway sidings) I'll make some contemporary benches to live on site. I will produce more work as the months go by but that's me for a start.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Hmmm - now I am using this project as an excuse to buy chocolate...   In fairness they are butterfly shaped chocolates AND you can plant the packet which has been impregnated with candytuft seeds, to grow a plant that attracts butterflies...fabulous.    Have to thanks Sacha in work for spotting this one. http://www.domesticsluttery.com/2010/03/mothers-da...... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Thought I'd add some photo's of the Botanical Illustration 'Information Boards' I'll be doing at the park. These were etched onto perspex using a dremmel, very hard work and I couldn't use my hand for hours after. May well look into laser etching instead, depends on cost I suppose. The Boards are meant to be clear, I didn't want big colourful signs detracting from the nature park. I felt if they were transparent people would have to get up close to actually read them. May hide some around the park too, if people know there are 30 but can only see 20, will it make them want to find the others I wonder?... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I'm now tweeting for the Butterfly Park if anyone wants to follow me or the park or both:   http://twitter.com/wirralbutterfly   http://twitter.com/cazramsay   There is also now a facebook page:   http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Ferry-Wirral/New... if you want to become a fan, please do.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 What's new in the park? Not a lot, it's been a while since I have paid a visit.  However...in the background, lots of things have been happening. Emma Kemp has submitted her design for the trail, it sounds fantastic. An interactive percussion installation. Can't wait to see it now. I have contacted a possible laser etching person, through a friend who is a memorial mason (thanks to Rob Turner for that idea) It seems somehow that it's not what you know... SO this guy is also a memorial mason but has just invested in a laser etching machine and so I have to draw some work up for him to try out and then we go from there. Haven't discussed cost yet but he also needs an artist to draw up some memorial stone ideas so a deal may well be done. :) I have completed the design for one of the benches and am in the process of organising some steel to be cut and etched as a back rest,may turn out a bit expensive but we shall see. My trusty husband will have to help me make it as I can't even lift one of the railway sleepers, those things are crazy heavy! I'm meeting Karon at the park on Thursday so will be doing some land art on that day, I had a mad idea the other day that may just work but I'm unsure yet so watch this space. Then its another clearing/weeding day on Sunday with the volunteers and the AGM on Monday, thats the day I get to talk about the open day and plans for the summer months with the people who run the Butterfly Park. This week will mainly be me trying to be a graphic designer - posters,flyers and booklets to be designed. I have friends who are real graphic designers, wonder if I should call in a favour?  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Spent today at the Butterfly Park, I went to let one of my artists, Karon, in to have a second look so she could draw up some designs. Kids off for Easter so I thought as it was a gorgeous sunny day they could come with, took a load of Easter Eggs and hid them so the kids were kept busy for an hour - FAB! Had a wander and a play, found some hazel branches by the compost heap and decided to try and make a wigwam type structure. I had some wire and string in the car (always have stuff with me in case I feel the need to make things) and using a branch of a tree as support have started to form the skeleton of the 'twigwam'. Back on Sunday to do some more. I don't want to have a cover over it and i don't want it looking iike a willow sculpture at all so I think I might hang things from it. Will use fishing wire tied to the cross branches and hang things that I find in the Park, so stones, bits of brick,twigs,dead leaves,feathers etc. Have no idea if it will work yet but it was a fantastic way to while away half a day in the sun. Managed to spot a Peacock and a Comma Butterfly as well as a yellow ladybird and finally got a photograph of the blue snail.   ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 We had a work day last Sunday at the Park, it was a beautiful day so lots of volunteers turned up and it's starting to look good now.   I did some more work on the Twigwam though its far from finished, the structure is there now. I need to bind some of it up with some sort of twine or raffia, something that  doesn't quite cover but will make it more of an enclosed space. Plan then is to ask kids to collect leaves, feathers etc form around the park and start filling in the gaps.   Hayley turned up with her husband and they worked hard at retrieving bricks from the back of the site, some of them covered in moss and were beautiful. She did a test run of one of the insect habitats on a stone base, I've added a photo. I think it's great, love the idea that we're fighting the land owner who is a builder, he wants to take the butterfly park back for construction purposes and here we are building multi-storey flats on site (albeit for insects.) I also got very up close and personal with a pair of mating tortoiseshell butterflies, they stayed very still and didn't fly away, for obvious reasons. It was the A.G.M of the Butterfly Park Monday night It was interesting in that I used to work in the past for large charities that had a really good turnover of donations through grants and fundraising. This is so different, hardly any fundraising as such  goes on, it's nearly all through donations of visitors and well wishers really and there is hardly any money at all considering they are a charity. Don't get me wrong, they can cover the costs of running the place but not much else. It has a lot to do with the landowner, if the Council can complete the complusory purchase order and secure the safety of the park, they can start applying for grants then. It's impossible to apply for funding for workshops not knowing if you're actually going to be there in the future. In court on 11th May. So much hangs on this, I've grown so attached to the site, it would be heartbreaking to see it go back into the hands of a builder. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I'm 40 - I need to keep reminding myself of that as I usually don't feel anywhere near 40 but at the moment, I am feeling more inline with my Mum. My Laptop had/has a virus - such a pain it's untrue. I was up until 4am last night trying to re-do the Open Day Poster and Press Release, still not finished the Poster...maddening. 4am and the up at 7am getting kid ready for school is NOT a good mix. Today I shall be mostly cursing computers.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Poster for Open Day done, don't know how good it'll look on here as a jpeg but it's ok - does exactly what it says on the box...so's to speak. Very hard to not go too arty, have to keep remembering it's a nature reserve not an art gallery :)... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Paul from the Butterfly Park has been very busy promoting the Open Day, the Cheshire Wildlife Trust are now taking a table with us and we're on the BBC  Breathing Spaces site (you have to scroll down to the second entry for New Ferry Butterfly Park to see it) http://www.breathingplaces.org/public/search?hasjs... I'm going to deliver posters over the weekend, asking local shops, cafes, libraries etc. I had an in box message on facebook from the Butterfly park fan page, a teacher at a local school has asked if she can bring a class of children to the park one day to study mini-beasts, I was really chuffed that the facebook page works as it's only got a few fans so far. I've suggested she might like the kids to make some Butterfly Bunting too, then they get to see their own art work at the Open day if they come along. I have had a conversation with Matt from Heritage Stone, who has the laser etcher, he's certain now he can get my small signs made and in time, he's just got to source the perspex and price it up. He's also suggested I do some etching for them as a skills swap to save on costs - hoorah! Things seem to be hotting up :)  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Had a painful weekend, have somehow managed to crick my neck to such an extent that I can hardly move, happened Friday but eased off a bit, went out to a concert Friday night (had already paid for the tickets) managed to dance a bit, whilst holding my neck but I was ok-ish. Then Saturday - agony and today just as bad. Have achieved absolutely nothing and am really annoyed with myself!!! All the posters are printed and ready to be handed out but I couldn't do it and I had planned to spend the majority of the weekend at the Butterfly park installing work, so fed up! In work this week and back at Uni Thursday crazy busy with that so have no idea when I'm going to fit it all in now. Think I'll have to drop some posters off on the way to and from work each night and just be there all weekend too. Best laid plans hey?... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I must learn to say no - problem is so many interesting projects in work that I really want to be involved with (pedal powered film screenings, touched talks, seminars and I'm helping co-ordinate a visit/lecture/series of workshops by Bruce Mau!) but I also need to do my own work - so I have taken the rest of the week off and I'm getting stuck in so's to speak. It's all going really well, the artists have all been down and 2 have finished. Emma + Chris have made a test piece for their percussion installation, a much smaller version and are coming back Thursday/Friday to go large! Karon brought her new sculpture based on a Peacock Butterfly Pupa and an older piece that I had specifically asked to be included, an iron chair that looks fantastic in the space. My project will involve providing seating in the park in various forms so this piece was chosen to represent the future. Nobody can actually sit on it but the idea will be in their minds at least. I can't post the photo today as it wont let  me rotate it but watch this space! Hayley (with husband Roger in tow) has been and made a veritable Housing Estate of Multi Storey flats for insects. Housing Market Renewal at it's greenest. They all look amazing, I'm so pleased with how it's come together and think the right places were chosen for each piece. My own work is so much slower, the bench is being made by my husband and a metal fabricator. It has been a very strange experience to design an artwork and have it completely made by someone else. I can't even lift one of the railway sleepers let alone 3! and the metal work has to be laser cut so I don't have a say in that. Hope it works, it's an odd feeling though, I feel rather detached from it. The Botanical Illustrations are being laser etched by someone else too but it's different as the actual drawings are taking so much time and effort and so i feel I have actually contributed more to thispart of the project. Hoping to have ten signs made in time for the opening with a further 10-20 appearing over the course of the summer. Organising an Open day has been a good experience but who's to know if it works, I might get 20 people over the threshold or maybe 100 - we can only hope the weather is beautiful so the locals arrive in droves. I feel like it's a finale even though it's just a beginning, a quick presentation of what can be achieved over the next 12 months, the promise of more workshops and more artwork. I'm looking forward to getting in touch with the local schools and youth groups and might invite some of my old college down next term, it would be good to see what type of land art they could come up with in a day. But for now...I must carry on drawing or there will be none of my artwork on the day!    ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Off to meet the Daily Post photographer at the Butterfly Park - in the rain - soon. Shame its raining, the butterflies all tend to hide, one sunny day last week I saw at least 20 of them and a Peacock Butterfly landed briefly on my sleeve. Won't happen for a photo shoot though. My hand is tres numb.   16 hours of ink drawing yesterday means I cannot feel my fingers.    However 7 drawings completed and at the etchers. Hope it works! Posted some but here's the rest if you want to see. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=20158&id=112... Oh and our router broke yesterday, £140 for new one so I'm going to hire one on the way back from the photographer to try and get the bench finished, still haven't heard if the steel is cut though. Designing booklet later to have at the open day. More computing :(... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Thankfully both of the fabricators came through in the nick of time, the steel was cut and collected today, looks not too disimilar to the design I drew, they had to alter it to dash marks so that the pieces of metal wouldn't fall out - understandably-I re-designed i with lots of dashes and dots which looked great but would have cost double to cut!!! So they did a design that was cheaper (still £500+) and it's fine but crazily - the little bits that were cut out were lovely, going to have to do something with them for sure. Then Matt the Stone Mason came with 10 etched perspex panels and they look fabulous, so happy with them. Going to be 30 over the course of the summer which would cost £20 each and worth every penny BUT Matt needs a draughtsman to draw some stone designs up and so we have done a skill swap - I'll draw for him and he's charging me nothing.  I've probably blogged this before but it's very exciting good news!!! Need to finish assembling the bench, my other half has been at it all afternoon and it's getting there, blinkin nitemare of a job though. Have found some sponsors too, Aldi are giving us all the BBQ food for free, the local garden centre is donating a Buddelia plant for the tombola and the pub opposite is donating 2 bottles of wine and the use of their loo all day(thats the best bit!) Emma and Chris finished their installation, haven't seen the finished product yet, have that to look forward to in the morning. So far on this project I am artist,curator,fundraiser,event organiser and marketing officer - the joys of multi tasking :)... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Amazing day on Sunday,   too busy to blog but here's some things to look at until I can.   http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/loca...   http://www.flickr.com/photos/30661871@N03/sets/721...... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 It has took me this long to recover and catch up in work.   The Open Day at the Butterfly Park was fantastic, I can't thank all my friends enough for helping out. So many late nights really did pay off in the end, we had 400 visitors and even though it was more about raising awareness, we raised a princely sum of £374.36p. So many people were chatting and telling me how they didn't know the park was there, so raising awareness worked. Emma's Elastatone work was a big hit, all kinds of people young and old were making 'music' and all the other art was much admired. I met the head of Cheshire Wildlife Trust who thanked me for all my efforts, as did all the Butterfly Park team, though I couldn't have done it without them either. We do make a good team I think. 2 local schools would like workshops and I have also been approached by a local resident who is setting up a 'regeneration' shop within New Ferry and would like to discuss my putting work in or more. Great news, this is exactly the type of response I was hoping for. I've posted some photos on the facebook group http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=20600&id=112509052095055&ref=mf but theres a few on here too.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Posted yesterday and then forgot to publish it - div! Anyway, today I had a very constructive tutorial with my lecturer via Skype. I'll post that in my other blog methinks. I'm opening the park up on Sunday 12-2 until another volunteer takes over 2-4, it's such a shame we can only open Sunday afternoons but I suppose that's what I'll have to work towards improving.      ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Sore back today - lay down on a hard floor all morning.   This afternoon I got myself sat up and as I couldn't move around much I decided to make something - so armed with a beautiful little old pocket book of trees and shrubs I sat happily cutting away.  Gave me an idea, I love artist book work, I forget I love it until I start doing some again but then I fall in love all over again. I might try to include my love of artists books within my MA practice. My plans to try and take a shop in New Ferry as a visitor centre are still ongoing but I thought a bit of pre planning as to what would go into the shop might be good. I like the idea of a visitor centre but as an artist and not a botanist or Entomologist I don't want to try and do anything too 'real'. I think an installation about the Butterfly Park with references to a visitor centre would work better for me and yet would still have the 'feel' of a visitor centre with only some of the necessary facts. I like the idea of someone coming in and opening up a fact sheet to find some beautiful drawings or a collage or something. Where there would be a library/book shop section I might have an artists book section, with books all relevant to nature. Julie Dodd made some beautiful little butterfly books for the open day, each one was shaped like a different butterfly and the pages contained facts about that butterfly. If/when I get a space I'd like to have other people's books there too as a mini artist book showcase. So today I made a book - quite like it too. I cut a tree shape from each page of the book until it was small enough to become a leaf. Its meant to reference deforestation and its effects on the ecology and atmosphere. The cut-outs were lovely too so I stuck them all on top of each other as a relief - the rebuilding of the paper trees indicating the planting of new trees. Anyway,only at the idea stage, need to try some butterfly and insect books too, have posted a photo.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 So I am organising a BIG LUNCH this Sunday 18th July. which will probably be more of a small lunch but hey...it will be fun   http://www.thebiglunch.com/map/event.php?id=56b174...   I only decided to do it a couple of weeks ago and haven't had time to plan for it so it's going to be a gazebo, a table or two, some bunting and some food...that's it! But in my favour, I have a beautiful nature park so I'm sure that'll make up for the rest.   I have some butterfly masks to print out for kids to colour in too....surely that will be enough. I hope. The plans for the visitor centre are not good, I can't apply for any funding until the ownership battle is over and I can't afford to pay out for a local shop on my wage - the cheapest I could find was £500pm.....eek So I think I may do a vistor centre in a van, ahh the things this van has planned for it . Studio/allotment/visitor centre   ANyway - yes - mobile visitor centre in time for next summer season (May-Sept) meaning I would be able to go out an about to schools, universities, community centres etc and entice them to visit the park. My plans are coming along ...very nicely.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 The residency at the park is still ongoing. I had a great summer there, just got too busy to blog...bad artist. My last blog was about the Big Lunch, which in fact turned out to be a Little Lunch but a very enjoyable little lunch. I met some great people who live local to the park and who wanted to get involved more actively. Unfortunately then I got too busy with work to do all the workshops etc that I wanted to do so plans changed a bit. I used my time over the summer to get to know the park better, the people better and learn a bit about insects and plants to boot. Park closes October to May so now is my time for research, planning and soon....making. We had our AGM this week and though we still don't know if we can stay on the site, the fight is still ongoing with the landowner, court dates keep getting changed but I'm still holding out hope. The Butterfly Park is magical, it has so many amazing qualities and for it to end now seems so very wrong so hope is what keeps all the volunteers going. At the meeting I put forward my ideas for the rest of this year and they seem to be well received. There's a really small pot of money from a sponsor that can be used towards the project which will be very useful. The plans for this year involve a mobile allotment/trailer with A-frame to tow around schools/community centres to promote the park and to do planting/growing workshops with edible plants that attract butterflies/bees etc. Secondly will be a refurbished caravan,stripped out and set up as a mobile visitor centre with a twist. The twist being that as it is a 'test' product, to evaluate the need (or not) for a visitor centre on site. I'll be asking people to write in a comment book about the need for a place to sit and reflect, read perhaps enjoy a warm drink.   The temporary mobile visitor centre will have a library made up of books about birds/insects/plants etc and a further section with artists books (also butterfly/insect based) Museum-esque Lepodoptera specimen drawers filled with butterflies but hand made by local children.  Information sheets, leaflets, colouring sheets, mask and wing making kits.  Small workshops for  up to 4 people can be held. Also, I'll be again curating a small art trail and asking for proposals for this soon. As the Butterfly Park is such a small charitable organisation there's no money to offer artists, the sad state of affairs in todays economy but they have agreed that we can use a part of the small sum we received as a grant to have a peoples choice prize for the favourite artwork awarded at the end of the summer. Likely to only be something up to £100 if it happens but I think it's really lovely that they have offered this. Sunday 8th May 2011 will be our  grand opening event. Hope to make it even bigger and better than last year.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Good to see the image I used in my last blog on the front page of Blog Topics, it doesn't say it's from my blog and it's not my image but is beautiful non the less and is a lovely example of archiving. The plans are coming along nicely now. I been making some collage work to get me back making art with the butterfly park in mind rather than just making plans, have also drawn up plans for the caravan visitor centre and started to make a maquette. Need to speak to my friend about if/when I can still have her caravan to start the revamp. I've posted a call for submission on the Art in Liverpool website and on the facebook page for the butterfly park to start the ball rolling with this years art trail. http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=112509052095... I've arranged a meeting with the head of Entomology at Liverpool World Museum to show him the plans for the visitor centre and to ask for his input with all his knowledge and expertise also. Quiet excited about that. I've emailed the local schools with propositions for workshops to make butterflies for the Lepodoptera specimen drawers. Also have to try and buy/make some kind of drawer unit.   Tis all go in Butterfly Land.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Made a very small 3D cardboard caravan maquette of my Visitor Centre Design.  Has a very Blue Peter quality to it I think, quite proud of that. Grateful I watched so much of it as a child. All workshop proposals are now also written, hope the schools/groups are up for it now.    ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I made a visit to World Museum Liverpool last week and met the Entomology Curator.  It's an astonishing place, row upon row upon row of lepidoptera cabinets, each with multiple drawers in. Beautiful.  I could have spent all day there, they left me alone there to take photographs (ohh sooo many photographs)  but unfortunately due to an untimely attack of Sciatica I was left having to try and stand up without letting the whole department know my back had gone then casually hobble out of the building a bit earlier than I would have liked. However, it did give me a good sense of the amount of work and commitment that has gone on to have such an amazing collection. It's also made me more excited to get going now. Still waiting to hear back from local schools, you'd think with an email entitled 'New Ferry Butterfly Park FREE ART WORKSHOPS' that I might get some response wouldn't you?   ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Two schools got back to me this week with a yes to doing workshops, meeting with one of them next week and potentially a third soon too. Good News, be great to have the local kids involved as then they will bring their families to the park over the summer to show them their work (I hope)  I'm now persusing grant application forms.....eeek... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I've had a great week. Been contacted by Liverpool Community College, their tourism course are interested in re-designing some of our Butterfly Park paraphernalia. leaflets, guides etc so it looks like I will be working with them a lot in the coming months which is great. A local secondary school is arranging a site visit in May with some year 9 students to make land art sculptures and to help them decide whether to choose Art as one of their 'options', oh  how I remember that age, it felt like such a huge decision way back then. Also the (very) local Primary school are on board, had a really productive meeting there this morning and have set up some workshops, a site visit and an assembly (eek). The headmistress is very keen and was blown away by the plans for the park, though I have offered to do all the workshops for free she's given me details of a small grant we can jointly apply for to maybe pay for all the materials and even my time, which would be amazing.    Most Excited as I'm picking up the caravan this week (Thanks Julie ) and can spend time taking it apart this weekend.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Well I didn't get to pick up the caravan, too rainy....but hopefully this weekend.   I did go to the Butterfly Park (in my lunch hour) to meet with the Community College students and tell them a bit about the project before they went on a guided tour courtesy of Paul + Hilary whilst I hot footed it back to work. I'll arrange to go into the college post half term to do a presentation to them all. They finish their course in May so it's great timing for them and us to have work we can use at the opening on 8th.   Popped along to an area forum meeting this week covering the whole of New Ferry and Bromborough, there is some 'empty shop' money available that I'm going to apply for, well.....someone's got to get it and I think we could make a really positive space for local people to visit and become part of.  I've started the proposal, next meeting is tomorrow so I'm hoping to get to that. I've a Sicky kid at the moment though so if he's not better by tomorrow that might put the kybosh on things. Missed out on a project tutorial at Uni today as I had to look after him.  It's so much harder being a student/worker and parent sometimes.     Wouldn't swap it mind :)... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I have finally taken possession of the caravan!! I am so excited, can't actually believe I'm so excited over an algae covered 1960's 2berth caravan but there you have it. I'll be spending the back end of this week with a jet washer. It is very cute, bijou I believe the right word is and it's a beautiful shape, curvy with lumps and bumps, I like that :) I know I'm going to strip the inside clean but at the moment It has some lovely original features, as they say on Homes Under the Hammer. A real gas lamp!!! A lovely little glass cabinet, might try to salvage that. The tiniest toilet cubicle, I think you could have only used it of you were 5'5" on a bucket. They made this for small people, now bear in mind that my lovely husband who will doing most of the hard labour is 6'5" and I myself am 5'10" this is going to be a challenge! Did I say I was excited?    ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I spent the best part of a full day jet washing and who knew - the caravan is indeed white!! I'm now at the stage of wondering whether to paint it a jolly eyecatching colour or leave it white, theres a strip down the side perfect to put a vinyl sign with the Butterfly park name on and I could get vinyl's of my drawings to go onto the white van which might be more inkeeping. I've won quite a few old butterfly books on ebay now, really do need to get to more charity shops though. As I'm self funding everything I have a limit of £3 each on books but I do seem to have found some real beauties within that price range.  These will all be used as part of the little library within the centre, some to make into artists books for display purposes and some to use as part of the mini reference library itself. I'm going to Liverpool Community college in the next 2 weeks to give a presentation to the tourism students who will be designing paraphernalia and re-branding the butterfly park as a centre for tourism. I'm really quite excited to see what we can all come up with to be honest and hoping it will be something that is ultimately useable and not just project based for the benefit of the course.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 i posted all this in my MA blog rather than this one by accident so for the sake of continuity I'm reposting it. I keep referring back to this blog for my course work and don't want to miss bits out, apologies for anyone who read it twice but I'll add a nice photo of the sparkling clean caravan too. My fabulous (tall) husband managed to reach up top and clean the roof, it took him all afternoon!! RPT:   Best laid plans got scuppered due to vile illness , been off work and off working for this project all week.  I officially hate being ill.  I do not do it well, my creative thinking vanished!  In the midst of this, just as I began to feel 'slightly'  human I had to take a group of school children on a tour of the park, pre arranged ages ago so had to go. It went really well, the kids were all so polite and very interested, they followed me around listening intently and asking lots of questions. We talked a bit about the visitor centre that they will be making work for. I go into their school on 24th to do an assembly and discuss all this in detail with the rest of the kids. Then because I'd been out in the rain, I got ill again :( I did however manage to speak with my old lecturer at Wirral Met college and they've agreed to loan me one of their old plan chests for the duration of the summer. I'll re-furb it into a lepidoptera cabinet for the visitor centre saving a small fortune not having to actually buy one, major bonus staying friends with other creatives. The entries are in for the Butterfly Art trail, some really interesting ones amongst them. I'll be presenting to the team this week (pending my feeling better) and looking for a decision on who to invite to join with us this year. Very excited.    ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Still not well so no more work done but Butterfly Bunting for the van arrived today, thought I'd post a cheerful pic.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I did a talk at a primary school assembly this week for the whole school, that was a bit daunting but actually went very well. Lovely kids and a really good reaction to the project. I presented them with a buddleia plant for them to put in their school garden so that butterflies will be attracted to it when in flower. Then in April I have a full day of making butterflies with them and a further half day of them assisting me in planting up the mobile allotment. I have an old wooden trailer and when I say old I mean truly knackered, it fell apart when delivered! So it needed a total rebuild but is now looking pretty fabulous, ready to have an A-frame fitted (primarily to protect any plants when in transit)  It will contain edible plants that attract butterflies and bees and will be used as an educational tool to tour local schools and community groups to show how easy it could be to plant in any small space and have butterflies and bees come to visit. Will be planted with Marjoram, Thyme, Mint, Sage, Garlic, Chives, Oregano, Sorrel, Cabbage, Courgette, Runner Beans, Fennel, Strawberries and Lavender. I have local people growing seedlings at the moment. Part of the trailer will be partitioned off with  small self under which I can store small gardening tools/gloves/watering can and sat on top if the shelf will be planted items such as an old tin kettle, a boot (think Wall-E) and some pots/cans to prove to people that this can be done. People can grow their own food and be at least partially self sustainable in any environment. I had to give a presentation about the project as a whole last week as a trial for a much larger presentation this week and so did some research into other mobile allotments. There is some really great work going on out there. Nils Norman's 'Geocruiser' I have long admired. It's a mobile greenhouse and educational resource centre, I think this was probably where my ideas first originated for both the visitor centre and the mobile allotment. Since I heard about Geocruiser in about 2006 I wanted to work on a project that had similar ideals. http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/artists_stori...   Kim Holleman's 'Trailer Park' an amazing public park INSIDE a caravan that includes a park bench and a waterfall! http://kimholleman.com/home.html Lisa Cheung's mobile allotment is another.   http://www.mobileallotment.blogspot.com/and Also there are plans for a mobile garden in Chicago (on a train) this has a particular resonance to me as the Butterfly Park was once an old railway sidings and is still situated right next to Bebington Train Station. http://www.themobilegarden.org/mobilegarden/welcom... I had so many other fantastic projects I wanted to talk about in the presentation but will do so for my Contextual Report that accompanies the project as part of my MA.        ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I can't quite believe that its only a month until the Open Day. Sunday 8th MAY   So much to do yet, panic is starting to set in. The Caravan Visitor Centre actually has no floor at the moment as it was so rotten it fell through but I have every faith in my amazing husband/technician who is the worker of miracles. The Butterfly Park has a work day tommorrow with 20+ volunteer workers coming from UniLever to help out, this is great and means that I can get some help with some of the projects. I have a whole day workshop making butterflies with schoolchildren Friday so can't be there but my husband has taken the day off work and is going to supervise 2 volunteers to fix and fill the twigwam as it has some storm damage and 2 other volunteers will help him finish off the partition in the mobile allotment and make a roof cover so that I will actually be able to transport the trailer without the plants blowing away. I'll be poppong to the park in the school lunch break just to make sure it's all going well. The only downside of Friday's activities is that I'm missing the Opening of the Jaume Plensa exhibit at Yorkshire Sculpture Park AND the opening of Rebecca Chesney's work there too, I was really looking forward to both, gutted that the date clashes. I will be going up next week but would have loved to attend the open day, have my ticket ans everything :(     On another note, I really need a lesson in how to reverse with a trailer on the back of the car too, I'm all over the show at the moment.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Two days spent at the local school, the first making butterflies, sandwich bag ones, splat painting ones and some beautiful drawings. Today was spent planting up the mobile allotment, each child choosing a plant, given them the task of finding out which particular butterfly is attracted to their specific plants. Great day though, the kids were all part of the school eco council and were just so keen. A few haven't got gardens and were delighted by the idea of planting in teapots + shoes etc. They were going home to tell their Mums they can have herbs growing in tin cans on the wondow ledges :) I had to get the planting done before thetrailer is fully finished or the plants might have died so now I have to spend some time painting the trailer with the park name and some butterflies probably. An A-frame detatchable roof will have to be made after that too, once the plants get much taller I wouldn't be able to tow the trailer far without them breaking. I didin't want a 'glasshouse' type roof in the end,the plants are all specifically chosen to attract butterflies and bees, it seems daft to then trap them in a greenhouse. They need to be in the open air in order to do their job. So the roof will just be put on when we're out and about travelling. The caravan is coming along, more damp found so we've had to basically strip all the internal walls out and treat it, waiting for it all to dry out now and then we're back in putting new walls in soon. Can't have the Lepidoptera drawersI originally wanted as they won't fir through the caravan door haha, never thought of that!!! Decided instead to keep some of the old cupboard carcasses and will make drawers to fit, much narrower but it was only ever meant to reference an actual museum, it's not like the butterflies in them will be real so it should be ok. It's an artwork at the end of the day,a working visitor centre yes but it will be more than that really.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 My (non existant) sign writing skills came into play this week, I hand painted a sign onto the allotment - it took me all day!!  I'd have much preferred to have a real butterfly painted on the side, the comma, which seems to have become our 'logo' but I had to use specific wood paint and we had no black or orange to I had to use a bit of artistic licence on the butterfly front. I'm not sure what the scientific types will think of that but it looks ok to me. Planted on the Mobile Allotment are:Sorrel, when young can be eaten as a salad leaf and is a larval plant for the small copper.Marjoram, thyme and mint are good nectar sources for several butterflies.Cabbages for the whites is also great.Nettles for comma, red admiral, small tortoiseshell and peacock.Garlic chivesfennellavender (edible in small quantities as flavouring)pot marigold (Calendula sp.), which has edible flowersMost of the herb bed is attractive to bees and butterflies when in flower:Particularly marjoram (especially the perennial, sometimes called pot marjoram)And thyme.Then borage, sage + rosemary (all for bees)All the bean family (broad, French and runner beans and peas) are attractive to bees, indeed bumbles are essential to pollinate runner beans as honey bees are too light to open the flowers.Courgettes too are bee pollinated. Wild strawberries attract butterflies + bees but are also loved by birds (of which we have may at the park).     Concentrating on the caravan now until the opening + then i can start planning out a wee tour with allotment I hope.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Flyers going out this week but for now I'm off to the park for a picnic with the kids to have a few hours relaxing for a change!... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 One week left until the Open Day and I am praying that the weather stays so great.  There are butterflies in abundance at the park this week, it's too early for a lot of them but the sun has brought them out regardless. If it's cold or rainy next week we wont see a single one....however there will be a lot of new artworks to see. Carolyn Shepherd has installed her piece of work, it looks great already though will grow with the park and will look even better over the course of the summer when the nettles at the back have grown up more. The work will then blend into its surroundings more. Julie Dodd has begun the install of her plastic bottle butterflies, the shadows through the plastic onto the container are beautiful - more realistic than the butterflies themselves, though their simplicity is a vital part of the piece, the shadows seem to tell a different story. Roy Lewis work is next to go in, a sundial made entirely from old motorbike parts. It's stunning but Roy is an ex motorbike mechanic he doesn't class himself as an artist at all, after seeing the piece I beg to differ. Terry Hayes is having trouble with his resin casts, he assures me all will be well and will install Friday. Fingers crossed. Leandra Holder + Chris Turrell-Watts will install Saturday, this piece is certainly more craft based than contemporary art but I'm sure once the sun catches the light on the recycled glass butterflies hanging in a tree the effect will be quite lovely. Will the addition of craft into the trail make it a provincial art show? I'd like to think not, I think though we are a small nature reserve in an off the road Urban Wirral setting we seriously could stand up against some of the more well known contemporary art trails. I worry about the 'craft' effect but then I think there is something for everyone at least. The Open Day will have a small village fete kind of feel I hope but will nonetheless contain some very credible artworks. The Mobile Allotment is growing well, I've only had to transplant one parsley plant and that was simply because I'd forgotten to put drainage holes in the bottom of a teapot. The Caravan Visitor Centre is on something of a tight schedule. SO much work has had to go into refurbishment that though all my plans are done I've yet to start making it into a visitor centre. Presently it is rot free and has had a respray. The lepidoptera drawers are made, most of the art books are made , the posters, photo's flyers, brochures etc are all done. My husband/art technician has worked ridiculously hard just to get it in a road worthy condition, walls are going in finally today + tomorrow. I will be painting on Thursday and then have one day left to actually put everything in place before install on Saturday.  There will be very little sleep happening this week.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Exhaustion has led to me not updating my blog - apologies.   The New Ferry Butterfly Park Open Day last week was fantastic, the caravan was finished in time and the day went really well. Amazingly well, we had over 500 visitors during the afternoon. Our local MP, Alison McGovern opened the caravan visitor centre officially and really seemed to love all the work, which is great. My lecturers came and one of the ladies from my MA course, an old family relative I'd never met that my dad hadn't seen for 50 years turned up after finding out about it on facebook - quite remarkable. Lots of the local shops sponsored the day in some way and so many of the people attending lived close by and yet still I had people saying 'I never even knew this place existed'. The headmistress of the school that i have been doing all the workshops with came by and loved seeing all their work in one place. I recognised a good few of the kids too. A few people approached me about doing art workshops in their schools and I've made some great contacts for workshops in the park over the summer. The artists all got their work up for the trail in time and ALL of them looked fabulous, so many positive comments flying around. 4 of the art stall holders let me down, one I knew about a few weeks before which was absoloutely fine, 2 let me know a few days before and one just didn't bother turning up, how rude! When I emailed her afterwards to check all was ok I got a one line email saying, 'sorry got my dates mixed up'.....that was it. As it happens the artists who did come along were all so good we didn't need the others, the work on the tables was beautiful and I just wish I had some money left to actually buy some for myself. The caravan did look really professional by the end,(unrecognisable compared to when I started)  some friends came to help that last 2 days for one last push and one (thanks Julie) stayed with me til midnight the night before to help with the artifying of it all. It was very well used during the day, lots more childrens drawings to add to our display folders. Success and such a relief!!!! I have spent all week trying to recover but amidst a hospital visit (I dropped a table on my foot on the open day), work, a studio Open night (light night)and making  work for a charity fundraising day and a *different* charity art auction I failed to succeed with any rest so this week I will mainly be catching up with some sleep.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I am loving twitter lately, found so many great people + ideas to follow. (inc @artists_talking obviously)   I tweet as @cazramsay but also for the Butterfly Park as @wirralbutterfly. I've found @wearecaravan today. An Edinburgh based gallery/creative space in a caravan http://wearecaravan.tumblr.com/ With them + the caravan gallery (@caravangallery) and my own wee visitor centre caravan we are invading the art world, maybe this will be a new thing. The caravan gallery have been going for a few years now and are really successful, maybe they have set a precedent and more restored caravan creative spaces will come out of the woodwork.    Every city should have one :)   Also discovered @allotinabox which does exactly what it says on the box - it's an allotment (well, all the seeds you need to start one) in a box. I'm going to look into this more, would be great to be able to hand out allotinaboxes when I'm out + about with the mobile allotment, obviously only if some of the plants tie in with our butterfly/bee attracting ideal.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I am obviously becoming addicted to vintage caravans, when I said in my last post that every city should have it's own caravan artwork I meant it - now I have come across this little gem opening in June 2011.   Huttenpalast in Berlin, an old warehouse, transformed into a hotel by going vintage. Each *bedroom* is a vintage caravan or hut of some form.   http://inhabitat.com/huttenpalast-salvaged-campers...   What a simple and yet amazing idea.   I'm loving it :)   I want to build a hotel now too.   I'm not sure if I've posted this either but here's a link to the facebook photo's showing my caravan visitor centre from murky start to sparkly finish. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.20234851...... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Ok just found out this blog is in the top 10 artists blogs on a-n so now I feel guilt ridden for not updating...sorry :( Thanks to those people who do take time to read this, I always seem to forget real people read what I write. Always quite shocked (pleasantly surprised) when I receive a comment.   In my defence I've been up the wall busy..honestly.   However to update now, I'm busily setting up some workshops, I'd like to have a photography one but we can't get funding to bring over the lady I'd like to have, it's across the other side of the country and even if we charged a fee to pay her what if the people didn't pay up or turn up. So I'm a bit along the lines of trying to get a local photographer to run a day and then by next year if all is well with the land ownership issues, we can fundraise to do things like this and actually pay the artists a proper fee, that is my ideal. One of our artists was going to run a paper kiln making day where people could paint pre made pots and fire them at the park, it sounded fantastic but again, he had to pull out due to needing to get paid work. So I'm up for ideas but I'm doing some drawing days myself and a few children's workshop days too and I think I'm going to have to realise that I've actually achieved quite a lot already this last 2 years and all this will stand us in good stead to apply to fund more for next year. I have 3 school workshops set up and am trying to organise taking the caravan and/or mobile allotment to 3 local fete days just to draw more attention to the park. I'm also mapping, Saturday will be spent pacing out and drawing a new map of the park  for me to use, one that's not quite so basic as the presently used one and I've been doing some mind maps too - recommended by my tutors and found it's really helped for me to see how far it's all come, how far I've come since my initial idea of producing "A" piece of work for the butterfly park. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Mapping is actually harder than I first thought and yet very therapeutic. Mind map first, working out what I've done, where I did it, who helped, who's linked to who etc etc. It actually does help to clarify things and then as it was just boxes + lines I just had to do another one that looked pleasing to the eye. I mean, what's the point of a mind map if you don't like to look at it. That done I'm now wondering whether to go further and actually colour it in, or am I just getting carried away now?   The map we have of the park now is VERY basic to say the least, I mean it does it's job - its a map but again, not exactly pleasing to look at. However the team seem to think it's ok and who am I to argue, it's their park after all but I needed to do a new map for me, even if no-one else ever uses it and so I did and then as it's just for me why not go all out and make it co-ordinate with new all singing all dancing mindmap and so that's exactly what I did. It's even in scale, are you impressed? I spent 2 days pacing out each bit of the park and re-checking. 1cm to 10 paces - that's a scale of sorts...right? I couldn't quite fit on every type of insects, birds or plants we have on site, there are way too many but I managed to get a fair few of the favourites in at least.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Been quite busy reading and writing for my final Contextual Report and drawing too, I find I write too much so have been advised that the old adage 'a drawing speaks a thousand words' is one that will work well in this instance. I've been spending some quality time in the butterfly park too but am slightly disappointed that there is some slight vandelism to my caravan. Probably teenagers, how do I know, because the writing was a bit childlike and they can't spell. Txt talk graffiti on the walls - what's that all about?? and in Sharpie pen - permanent markers that they then stole!!  They've also torn one of my little artist books, just pulled out all the cutwork and ripped all the little gas lamp up, I loved that lamp :(   I can make another book and paint over the walls but I'm not sure the lamp can be fixed unfortunately. Bit disheartening. Wonder if I can claim on my AIR insurance, I took out the extra cover after all.   On the Plus side, we won our court case, FINALLY. It's still a bit up in the air but basically we now have the green light to press forward with the Council for a compulsory purchase order so that the Butterfly Park can continue as a nature reserve. It's a huge relief for all concerned. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/loca... As one of our Facebook followers said to the news "When the might of business comes up against the fragile beauty of a butterfly, and those souls faithfully devoted to protecting it... the butterfly will win"  I love that people are so passionate about the place, me included. Also this week I've organised 3 school workshops up at the park and 2 workshops for adults. One drawing and one photography, I'm really looking forward to seeing how these go actually. I'm not having a taught session at all, more a group of like minded people meeting up to do what they love most and then sitting over tea + cake to discuss the outcomes. You're all more than welcome to join in, and they're free too :) http://www.artinliverpool.com/?p=25275#.ThIQsCfkO2...  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 Sorry to have been awol for a while. So busy writing my contextual report it's untrue. However - it's done!!! Can't quite believe I'm saying that, published online through Blurb, people can buy a copy, not that anyone will want to except perhaps for my family haha. http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2408319 I sent the link to the Board of the Butterfly Park and they really loved it, in fact they did buy a copy to have as a reference and archive of the project. Paul emailed the link around to the whole team and to Cheshire Wildlife Trust to let them see what we have achieved there over the last 18 months. It's so fantastic to see it all in print, the copies arrived yesterday and holding it was a surreal moment, so glad it's finished and yet my work with the Butterfly Park isn't I hope. I've asked to stay on the Board and work with them as a volunteer for as long as they'll have me, it's such an amazing place and I love being part of it. In July I did a good few workshops with local schoolchildren, taking them on tours of the park and then making all kinds of butterflies out of sandwich bags, paper, found objects. Great fun. I received a pile of thankyou letters from one class, really touched me to the point that I included some of them in my thesis. That's what it's a been about for me, the people, it is a wonderful place and I am very passionate about helping to save it but the people have become really important, all of the volunteer team and the visitors, the kids, the traders, all in their own way have really helped and been an influence on this whole project. I hand in my thesis on 30th August, set up the exhibition the following week (though my part in this is just a few framed map type illustrations as how can you exhibit a site that's so far away?) and then 14th September up to Preston with the caravan visitor centre for the Private View of our MA show. Then it's over.   Crikey!... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I forgot to mention that I have a new job too :)   I leave Liverpool Biennial next week after 4 fantastic years to be 'Activity Plan and Volunteer Manager' at a Heritage restoration site in Kensington, Liverpool. A beautiful old Jewish cemetery that is being restored to its former glory for the local community to use in as a space in the future. I'm pretty sure the Butterfly Park project played a big part in my getting the job which is so great. And its only part time which means I can still stay on as volunteer board member at the Butterfly park and do whatever I can to help out in the future.   I'm already fundraising to do workshops next summer, keeping everything crossed and public vote starts 26 September here: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/1375... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 What a week....   Schools back, started my new job, took the caravan visitor centre up to Preston to see the external assessor, set up an Arena drawing exhibition in Bankley Studios, Manchester and .....got my MA results!!!   I got a Distinction, can't quite believe it but I am really thrilled.   and tired.   Our MA show is really strong, considering there areonly 8 of us. It is on this week in Hanover Building, off Kirkham Street, Preston and the PV is 5-8pm this Wednesday, all welcome. I must buy some wine for the caravan so we can have our very own PV as we'll be parked outside (away from the bar).   Also at 2am this morning I submitted a bid for funding for an Empty Shops Project in New Ferry to continue and enhance the project. I think this could just be the beginning.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513 I know the MA is finished now but I'm staying with the Butterfly Park on the committee as a Board Member now. I got so passionate about the place that I can't leave. So I have applied for two lots of funding. The first one has 6 days left of voting, anyone can sign up and vote, you get 3 votes so have a look at your local projects too!! At time of writing I have 99 votes, 100 would be lovely. MANY more would be fantastic. If we do win some money we can put on a whole lot of fabulous workshops in the Butterfly Park next summer. Here's the link. http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/1375 The Empty Shops Project held a vote within the local area forum. All the applicants gave a 3minute presentation and were allowed to answer 3 questions from those attending. It was terrifying but I have done my best for the park and can only hope now. This could potentially be a fantastic project. It would allow me to take on a shop in New Ferry, promote the Butterfly Park and have 6 artists in residence over the course of the project with a pot of money for each artist and enough money to pay for artists and more to give further (free) workshops on site. The local people would benefit tonnes, not just art workshops but local history, environmental, greening the community... planting sessions, butterfly attracting plants all over New Ferry. I really want a New Ferry Butterlfy Town ultimately, can you imagine it? My bit is done. I don't find out until January and we are up against some great projects bidding. I am keeping fingers and toes firmly crossed.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513