The Watershed Project

Here is an image I have put together involving the sculpture of cactii I made using the mud collected at Withens Clough “beach”. I then used photoshop to place the sculpture back into its natural environment.

I have tried to strike a balance of weird, out of place, but with an element of  commonality. The cactii, as I have previuosly said, represents another different kind of landscape that nevertheless has similarities- both are hard , gritty , full of character. You won’t find these landscapes in Constable paintings , I’m thinking more of Turner  as I scrabble around in the driving rain! The arid desert contrasts here with the reservoir water in the background, but what drew me to this site was the fact that the water level is so low. This part of the reservoir is not normally so exposed & visible- a lack of rain? an overly high consumption of water? When I discovered this place it seemed, if you had your back to the water, like a desert, it was a strange land.

I have a slight concern that the cactii look anthropomorphic- this is not my intention- they are not meant to be “waving” anything! There is humour in the piece but this should result from its strangeness.

comments welcomed?

Last Sunday I went to Cliffe Castle Museum to meet a group of young adults who I would like to work with as part of my engagemnt work for the WLP.

They were taking part in a workshop run by sculptor David Mayne (www.david-mayne.co.uk )- it was a lovely atmosphere walking into the room. They were making beautiful , intricate sculpture using silver foil- the room was full of the soft rustling sound, and glint of the aluminium – you could see instantly that they were a very focussed and interested group.

I showed some images of my work on the project so far, plus other work I have done like Roast Lamb Wastwater”  (http://www.sallybarker.org/meat) and the “Visitor” series (http://www.sallybarker,.org/landscape) , that connects with the project.

Their questions were very astute- I’m hoping that we work together. I would like to involve them in a discussion  about the landscape, their relationship to it (negative/positive), identity in relation to environment, urban/ rural polarity,  materials…… I also want to show this fantastic landscape to a group of people who wouldnt normally put themselves out there. I have promised them they don’t have to pick up sheep poo!

Sofia Maskell , their co-ordinator , is putting together a residential at the Colden Centre. So I would visit and work with them on location – take them out onto the moors to make work hopefully. We hope to also include Gavin Edwards , WLP archaeologist  and Andrew Mc Millan WLP writer.

Photos will follow as there was a photographer that day.

Thanks to David for allowing me to gatecrash his lovely foil workshop.

As part of the Watershed project I will be working with a group of students at Ravenscliffe Special Needs School in Halifax.

I met the group 2 weeks ago and spent an afternoon with them on wednesday, 28th. I took in materials collected from the different locations I’ve been exploring. This is to introduce them to the session we will spend together in a few weeks time when we will go onto the moors to experience the weather , the views but hopefully not too much rain.

I’m keeping the images tight , so peoples privacy is respected.

The session went really well- everyone had a go …we explored the materials individually- so only one was on the table at any time..

The spagnum moss was gloriuos- it was felt with feet, and tasted-  it smelled rich and powerfully earthy.

The mud was rolled so it made snail like tracks on the cream paper; also pressed to test its squidgy texture.

the reed grass was bent & twisted; bashed onto paper and black paint; inspected closely for a long time by strimming it (looking at it side on);

the rocks were wrapped with grass and played like drums.

The next time we meet it will be out in the wilds- I hope at Withens Clough Resrevoir- though sadly, no wheelchair access to the beach and all that primal mud digging.

made 3 cactii using the mud from Withens Clough Reservoir- silky smooth texture, plain chocolate colour. Armature underneath of twigs & masking tape. The vertical lines are in but chose not to do spines as I dont want them looking too much like the real thing!

The cactii represent a dry , arid, desert landscape- to partner with a Pennine equivalent (The Hushings or somewhere over The 2 Gorples?) of relative harsh , dryness. Also will try it against the harsh but not dry place of its origin. Unfortunately I can’t take these fragile forms out on location, certainly not in their present state as they will break, flop or crumble. Perhaps after a couple of days drying out

Very difficult to photograph , I’ll try again with , hopefully, sunshine plus halogen.

Meanwhile I’ll post this image

and its site of origin

I’m hoping to bring my group from Ravenscliffe here- we wont be able to get on the beach as there are a few wheelchairs, but I love the feel of this place, it’s very windswept, open , elemental. If we can get the mini-bus close and the lane isn’t so enclosed it negates the whole wild experience, we should be ok.

I’ll create a new post now for the Ravenscliffe workshop 2 days ago, where we explored the materials I’ve been collecting…..

Sunny day , perfect for The Hushings at Hurstwood Reservoir

This place has a physical pull: intrigue and a poignant mix of the natural and man-made/interference. It looked even more alien today – I walked right up to the top  from where you can see Burnley. It doesn’t photograph that well, the camera flattens out the landscape with all those hundreds of hills. They look like they’ve been flocked and make me want to run my hand over the top to feel the texture.

found an irresistable pile of stone and started to make something. After a sculptural attempt that looked way too much like an Andy Goldsworthy, I turned my thoughts more to architecture. So here is my fake ruin- fusing the pre-historic Stonehenge with Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater- I say that firmly tongue in cheek. Having made this with the first, very small, pile of stones I came across-  I then realised, walking on, the hillsides were abundant with it. Huge cascades of lovely grey  stuff- I’m assuming its sandstone , the way it breaks horizontally. I need a geologist!

detail of “fake ruin”

stone stuff in abundance

I will return to make more – but I’m pleased to now have more images to choose for the setting for the camels. Maybe this one……

This is my first blog entry for The Watershed Project- I’ve never blogged before so I’ll cross my fingers and take a deep breath.

Following the call out for artists in march – I was selected as the artist for the first of 3 years. There is also a writer for each year- so my writing mate is Andrew Mc Millan- I’m sure we will do something collaborative. Continue reading →

went up to Gaddings Dam again- the sun was super bright for a while , then in classic style, just as I started modelling camels out of mud, the rain came down- I ended up shaping some tiny peaks to photograpgh for a sense of scale and possibilites…

Withens Clough Reservoir is like a forgotten land- down on the edge of the water, the stumps of old drowned trees that I assume are usually under the waterline but for the lack of rainfall.

the mud is gorgeous – black , smooth, a bit claggy so good to model with. Its like a cross between clay & peat.So I dug some up with a stone, to make sculpture back at home – out of the relentless heavy drizzle and whipping rain- Frankie, my lurcher, offered advice-

all the Watershed crew- artists & writers- at the photoshoot .

left to right: Char March, Angie Rogers, Andrew Mc Millan, Simon Warner, me

with The Cow & Calf stealing the show behind.

a walk later that day over Haworth Moor to the ruins at Top Withins. The traces we have left behind in our attempts, and here failure, to colonise and harness this landscape. I used to walk up here every time I came back for the weekend from artschool in Hull. The heather is beautiful right now- a bit bleached out in this shot.