Our Plans for 2020…

Following a successful workshop programme in 2019, we are now planning our next activities. Both schools, Sticklands and Greenford are on board for an exciting woodland arts programme in 2020. We will use the exploratory work we did in the Spring to revisit the woods, and design and make processional costume and handheld pieces for a Grand Parade, planned for May 21st 2020. 

We will use the colours and shapes of Wraxall Woods to create hats, costumes and giant puppets. Sarah and the team at Emerald Ant are currently raising funds for the Parade to happen. So far our local pub the Fox and Hound in Cattistock, has raised a whopping £700 through a Quiz Night and the Cattistock Flower Show. Massive thanks to Liz Flight! Battens Solicitors have also provided a grant of £250, all helping towards getting the bigger funds in. 

Winter 2019…

Nov 30th 10 am – 2pm   Lantern Making, Cattistock Village Hall

Make a lantern star out of willow and tissue paper, and add your own lights. Cost £8 per lantern. 20 places available. Parent and child or adults only.  Book: sarah@emeradant.com

The Hanging Forest

Through December to January a Hanging Forest will appear in schools and churches in Maiden Newton and Evershot. The work is composed of 250 trees, each created by a child at Sticklands or Greenford Schools. Come and walk through the trees, listen to birdsong and travel through time to Spring! Watch this space for more details.

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Our Bluebell workshop in the tent at Wraxall Woods was well attended by 18 people from the local community.

The exhibition in the tent shows work created by school children on the Bluebell Project. All work is created in, or inspired by the woodland.

 

 

Some snaps of children’s leaf prints –

And colours collected in the woods – 

Woodspeak Creators in Evershot, July –

Thank you to Artsreach for funding this workshop

 

What’s the Bluebell Project About? 

The project is a celebration of our local woodland in Wraxall, West Dorset. Every spring the woods are carpeted in bluebells, campion, stitchwort, primroses and celandine. Amongst the wildlife, a resident white stag can  be seen rutting in the early mornings.

With the support of local landlords the Parry Family, Dorset AONB, and a grant from the Ashley Family Foundation, we’ve opened up the woods to children from Greenfords and Sticklands Primary Schools, and the local community.  A programme of workshops is a-foot. Children learn about the woodland habitat with Nick Gray from the Dorset Wildlife Trust, then with artists Sarah, Kathy or Flora, they create artwork, often amongst the bluebells, or in the project tent. Our explorations this year will lead to a spring puppet parade in 2020.

Visit us on twitter: wwww.twitter.com/bluebellwraxall

Upcoming Workshops and Exhibition

Please book for all.

18th May – 1-3 pm     Mono-printing Weed Workshop and Exhibition Collect leaves from the woods and turn them into beautiful detailed prints. There will be children’s artwork on display in the tent, and you can visit the Badger’s Bedroom in the woods.

12 places. Adults only, or Parents with Children. Book at sarah@emeraldant.com Workshop free but donations welcome.

Location: Project tent, Wraxall Woods. 

On the A356, before / after the Rampisham Radio Station, take the turning for Cattistock and Wraxall. Drive through the woods and after the Manor House turn immediately right into the farmyard. You may park there, and walk back up the road to the gate.

Please let us know if you require a lift up the hill to the project tent. There is a portaloo on site.

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July 26^th  & Aug 29th  – Woodspeak Creators Workshop (Children), Evershot Village Hall.  

Create a new language using descriptions, images and sounds from the woods. Squelch-hog, yellow-cup, bushy-fast-step. A fun team activity exploring words and images with a take-home sculpture. Details tbc at https://artsreach.co.uk/

 

 

 

Our Spring Workshops in Cattistock…