Trail Artists Draw the crowds

This Thursday Aug 31st ACE members (based at Brixham Community College) are all set to join their artwork in Teignmouth at the end of the TRAIL ART exhibition featured along that part of the coast.

Acting as stewards for the indoor exhibition based at the Teignmouth Tomorrow Building (Brunswick Court), they will have a chance to discuss their work with the public, and see the reaction of visitors to the work of the other TRAIL artists involved in the event.

The Trail Recycled Art in Landscape artists all have the protection of the environment as a common aim. This is shown through their work, which has been on show in Teignmouth, Dawlish and Dawlish Warren this summer and uses recycled materials to ask the observer to consider how much is wasted in our materialistic world.

Tourists and locals have been most appreciative of the work, which suddenly appeared on the seafront in late July with 20 pieces in Teignmouth, 4 in Dawlish and 2 at the Warren .

The outdoor sculptures include a magnificent seahorse made from recycled copies of local newspapers, a bright pink recycled deckchair with the rubber tube seating blowing inside out (typical of the old style British summer) and an intriguing copper flowering plant that booms amongst the greenery of the Dawlish gardens.

One of the most popular sculptures with youngsters has been the work by Carl Hahn using rubber tyres. Set in the empty Teignmouth paddling pool, youngsters have not just admired the form and pattern, but have also been observed using it as a hopscotch grid.

Each artist has had a postcard image of his or her work created to spread the word by post. Cards sell at 30p each or a full set for £4. Sales show this is a popular concept, with young men particularly liking the recycled skateboard sculpture 'Spirit of Skate' which allows them to write to their friends with a 'cool' image.

There are several pieces of work from community groups such as ACE (physically disabled students at Brixham College ) and the Stallcombe House learning disabled community. For them, the chance to exhibit publicly is a rare and treasured opportunity.

From 13 th August an indoor exhibition of work has been on show in the Teignmouth Tomorrow Building ( Brunswick Square ) and upstairs at the Ice Factory in Somerset Place . Over 200 people viewed the work on the first day and a steady 100-150 per day are still calling to enjoy work from 34 artists, many of whom were involved in the recent Art Farm Project. Many people return again and again to talk to the different artists stewarding the event.

Organiser Liz Lockyear has a stunning panel called 'Bridge over Teign' on show in the Ice Factory, this has been created from a recycled bedroom rug. Her roots in teaching textiles are clearly shown in the collages, prints and collagraphs hanging adjacent to the panel showing the view from Shaldon. Whilst in the Teignmouth Tomorrow exhibition space Buff Lancaster-Thomas has created an installation using crushed glass to form patterns.

The event ends on the 3 rd September. The exhibition spaces are open daily from 10 - 5pm. All outdoor sculptures can be viewed at anytime.

Upon conclusion the work will go onto exhibitions at Western Super Mare, the 9 Days of Art and Brixham Community College .

Full details are on the website at www.trail.org.uk