Taking a closer look
at Occombe Farm's new crop
The artwork recently commissioned
for the Occombe Farm Project provides an opportunity to experience
the environment of the whole farm as many of the exhibits are
located within its landscape. Overall manager of the Occombe
Farm Project Dominic Acland hopes the art work will 'encourage
people to take a fresh look at the world around us.' |
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The several contributing artists
have taken their inspiration from the farmland and the unusual
flora of the Nature Trail, the animals in the farmyard and the
public who use the farm to meet, eat and the shop. |
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In the cafe artist Deborah
Law explained how her prints had evolved from her study
of pond. Collagraph pates were created based on the shape of the
pond and incorporating plant materials. Deborah's experimentation
with colour has produced prints she has worked into with paint
and crayon, to capture the sense of the changing seasons around
the pond. |
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Artist Suzanne Redstone
said, "Creating Liquid Lightcatcher - Tree for Occombe Farm gave
me the opportunity to make visible the life giving light that
is vital to the life on this farm. the energy that surrounds us.
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| The sculpture is double
sided to increase the visual experience of changing light. Be
patient with this sculpture. time is necessary to reveal its magic,
its play with light. Come back and experience it another time,
in other light, in changing light." |
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Artist
David Harbott's paintings are painted on metal
and located around the farm. In relation to the first painting
you encounter he says, "Historically landscape painters were
commissioned by the aristocracy to represent their wealth and
power. This picture calls to mind a time when wealthy patrons
would have settings composed to please their eye. I have composed
today's hedges and trees for your visual pleasure. But who does
the landscaping and commissioning now?" |
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Kate Paxman's ' Uncrowned
Kings' is a Sound Installation in the barn amongst the ruby red
cattle, with the voice of Bill Mitchell designed to recall a time
before the mechanization of farming. |
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She said,"I want to evoke a sense
of a disappeared way of life by placing the sound of singing in
the modern space of the barn. The song has been chosen because,
by chance, I overheard it being sung on a farm in the nearby Rocombe
Valley. Hearing such a wonderful, unaccompanied voice and so unexpectedly,
was deeply affecting; a moment when the past collided with the
present." |
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At the entrance to the farm Chris
Howard and Alan Pezard have created Berkshire Pig in
cob. Last year Occombe Farm commissioned them to create a sculpture
of a cow inspired by the herd of red Devons on the farm. Sadly,
due to the temporary nature of this type of cob construction and
the effects of weather, her life was short. |
| This year, Alain and
Chris have been asked back to create another life size farm animal
and have made a pig named after "Jacqueline", a beautiful Berkshire
sow who lives next to Alain's studio.The finish of the sculpture
is made using local red sub soil mixed with straw and water to
form the cob . Inside, a steel armature and a concrete platform
or chassis support the weight of the cob. Jacqueline is much stronger
than "the mud cow" and weighs around ½ tonne. |
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Finally artist Sadie Shrub
from Dartington College has created an installation based on paper
and recycling as apart of her investigation into the relevance
of environmental art. Complimenting the site, all artwork ads
to the established project at Occombe Farm which can be appreciated
whilst walking around the extensive Farm Nature Trail or enjoying
visits to the shop throughout the coming summer season. |
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