Wildlife in the park - sand sculpture

This will be a short post as I don't have many interesting images of the sculpture. And, as I remember, I never even finished it due to bad weather.

I had been double booked with this project in Saint Annes Park, Dublin and another in Ballyheigh, Co Kerry, which are on opposite sides of the country. The dates were not finalised when I said yes to both but when they were finally set, they happened to be on the same weekend. This was a three-day event with mainly workshops and the other which I will talk about in my next post was just a one-day demo. Now, I don't know about you but, I can't be in two places at once. So, trying to keep everyone happy I did one day here, setting up my area and carving this sculpture and then drove to Kerry that evening to be there for the next morning.

While I was in Ballyheigh Co. Kerry I enlisted the help of @clodaghdowning to do the workshops in Dublin. She has worked with me before on them and I Deputised her. Thinking she would enjoy the experience... She didn't. It is hard work dealing with crazy kids and competitive parents. For me, at this point, I find fun as it has been programmed into my muscle memory.

I did my day in Ballyheigh and then drove back to Dublin for the final day in Saint Annes Park.

The sculpture had been roughed out and I was going to use other sand I found in one of the playgrounds to make inlays of animals you might see around the park. I had been asked to do the project by the Conservation office in the city council and thought this might be a nice design.

The sand I had gotten delivered for the project was very rough as can be seen in the images so details were out of the question but with the sand I found in the playground I could do the little animals to brighten things up a bit. I also liked the contrast between the two sands.

I first started by plastering on the basic shape.

And, then while keeping it wet I was able to sketch some animals. I had done four or five and then had to start driving the 3 and a half journey to Ballyheigh.

When I got back the sculpture was as I left it and I was all prepared to finish between workshops. It clouded over and as the first drops of rain fell I knew I wasn't going to be in for a good day. But I was there to work so tied to continue. It got heavier and most of the other exhibits and public cleared off. Everyone, except for a middle-aged Russian woman and her two children. They wanted to continue in the rain and muck and so we continued as if it was a beautiful day on the beach.

They stayed with me for ages as we carved and played. By the end, we were all drenched through to the bone. Everything we made was quickly destroyed by the children only to start again. The mother spoke pretty good English and we had some nice chats. The children quickly got bored and played in the mud stamping around with not a care in the world. The lady and I continued chatting and carving. She said she loved to make things with clay but with the children never had the time. I started to understand that she was escaping from the responsibilities of being an adult and I was giving her permission to play and do something for her.

It was actually a very special moment. As the lashings of rain fell around us we had created our own little escape from the world.

I never did get to finish my sculpture but I was happy with my day's work as I had made at least three people happy.