Old Tree

Just on the outskirts of the town centre is Clarence Square - a little square of grass, fenced of from the world and accessed by a wrought iron gate. It's surrounded by the Regency town houses that Cheltenham is famous for. As I wandered through the small park I spotted this tree, or rather what is left of this tree. At first I thought it was just a carved sculpture, then I realised its a carved sculpture created from a tree that is still rooted. Tree conservationists in Cheltenham aren't in the habit of letting trees be carved up. I guess the tree was in need of felling and someone with a creative mind came up with this. It looks good, better than it being chipped or used as firewood, and it felt so smooth.

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Touching Souls

Touching Souls is the name of this sculpture at the front of Tewkesbury Abbey. It is an exact replica of the same sculpture in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Created by sculptor Mico Kaufman, its is cast in bronze and shows four children - native-American, European-American, African-America and Asian-American, sitting on the ground, legs outstretched, with the soles of their shoes touching. It is one of the many links that bind the two Tewkesburys. Has anyone out there seen the original in the USA?

Thanks to everyone who has left a comment while I've been otherwise engaged. Normal service has now resumed!

The Weathered Man

Have you ever seen a drain cover like this before?! Well, it is a big drain! This huge underground pipe is topped off with this large concrete cap and, to make it look less ugly, it has some art on the top. This is The Weathered Man by artist James Gould. The installation was commissioned by the Environment Agency. It has been in Sandford Park for as long as I can remember, although I can't find anything about it or the artist on the web. This part of the park is a large open space and backs onto Cheltenham General Hospital and the Lido open air swimming pool. In the photo you can just see the formal park on the other side of the road. This part of the park has fountains, flower beds and another piece of art. In last summers floods this area of Cheltenham was flooded quite badly. You would have thought this drain would have swallowed up all that water!

Open Air Art

Every summer the Imperial Gardens, behind the Town Hall, plays host to the Open Air Art Exhibition. The event runs for four weeks, and each week each of the 25 different panels display a different artists work. The artists are made up of people who belong to local art clubs or people who paint for a living. All of the paintings and drawings are for sale, with the money going directly to the artists. It is a great opportunity for locals to showcase their work and each week there is always something new to see. When Phoebe and I had a look last week we were surprised at how high the standard was, there were several pictures that even I would have paid out for!

Do you have anything like this where you live?

Bless You!

This is my last post on the art exhibition at The Brewery development. These are my two favourite drawings, the detail in the first is amazing (click on it for a larger version) and the second is just quirky! Hope you've enjoyed seeing the artistic talent that Cheltenham has to offer.

Look Sharp

This drawing from the art exhibition at The Brewery is mad! I think its a Swiss Army knife monster! I wonder if it has a blade for getting stones out of horses hooves?!

Scream!

Another photo from the art exhibition/competition at The Brewery. This drawing is creepy to say the least! The slogan says "his darkest ideas become reality..." They look terrified by them. What do you think?

Picture This

On the front of one of the boarded up units that are for rent in The Brewery development is this art exhibition. There are three displays of sketches and drawings, all part of a competition (the details of which I can't remember!) that involves Gloucestershire University. What I do know is the closing date for entries is in May. Sorry for the lack of info! Over the next few days I'll show you some of my favourite pieces.

I wish I could draw as well as this!

Centaur Stage

Following on from my Theme Day post of the Cheltenham Racecourse, here is an unusual sculpture of a Centaur, made from what looks like chicken wire, at the front of The Centaur building at the racecourse. The building was opened at the turn of the new millenium and is one of the towns largest venues for holding events like conferences, banquets, stage shows and exhibitions. At the moment you can see the Chinese State Circus performing there, and in the past has featured the likes of Sting, Dame Judy Dench, Cats The Musical and Jools Holland. I've only seen the outside but by all accounts its big inside (2,600 m2) and has impressive facilities.

The chicken wire Centaur is obviously a representation of the creature from Greek Mythology, part human part horse.

Having A Ball

I have just discovered artist Giles Penny while trying to find the creator of this bronze sculpture, Man With Ball, and I really like his style. Giles Penny was born in 1962 in Dorchester, Dorset and studied at various Art Colleges between 1978 and 1984. His website says "His fondest way of working is in relief, which he believes is half way between sculpture and drawing." and his work is, more often than not, in bronze. His drawings, sculpture and relief work all have a humorous and friendly nature, and is accessible to none arty types, like me. The work shown is about 8 feet tall and stands in the entrance to housing development Sheldons Court (off of Winchcombe Street), it was commissioned by Crest Homes in 2000. Giles Penny's work has been used in many different locations including many pieces at the Bodyshop Headquarters, the Atrium Garden at the BBC and at Canary Wharf London.

Check out more of Giles Penny's work here http://www.gilespenny.co.uk/Large20%Sculpture.htm

Theme And Variations

I'm not sure how many Cheltonians have ever looked up and seen this piece of art, or more so that it was created by renowned British artist Barbara Hepworth (1903-75). The sculpture, Theme And Variations, is situated on the side of the former HQ of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Building Society in Clarence Street. Built in the mid-1970's the curved building, which hides St Marys church behind, is now rented out as office space and has some shops at street level. The bronze sculpture was acquired by the Borough Council as part of the towns public art program. Hepworth is seen as one of the last centuries most influential abstract artists and in her time won many awards and accolades. In 1939 Hepworth moved to St Ives in Cornwall where she concentrated her efforts on larger pieces moving away from sculpting in wood and stone to her more recognisable medium, bronze. In the 1950's her work, along with that of her friend and fellow artist Henry Moore, became internationally recognised. Hepworth died tragically in a fire at her studio in St Ives. The studio is now a Museum celebrating her work.

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

This seat is something of a mystery to me. It's either the Millennium Seat or the Golden Jubilee Seat. Whichever one it is, its situated in Montpellier Gardens. Actually, the more I look at it the more I'm convinced its the Golden Jubilee one! The Golden Jubilee in question is that of the Queens 50 years on the throne (1952 - 2002). The seat has five sides, each representing a decade of her service to the country. The sloped sides have musical notes weaving their way around and the metal structure in the middle has a dove on a domed top. I'm not sure what that represents, I've looked around online but can't find anything about it. The day I took this photo the winter sun was really highlighting the bird and dome, it was quite dazzling.

Rare Royal

At the end of Central Walk in Montpellier Gardens is this statue of King William IV. The statue was erected in 1833 by public subscription to commemorate the Coronation of the King in 1830, although he wasn't King for long. In 1837 William died and leaving no surviving royal children (he had 10 with his mistress!) his niece Victoria became Queen. The statue started out in Imperial Gardens, down the road, but was moved to its present location in 1920. The statue shows William in his garter robes which is apparently quite rare. Montpellier Gardens have under gone a major face lift lasting about 18 months and reopening this summer and, as you can probably tell, the statue has been given a scrub and polish.

Brewing Barley

At the entrance to The Brewery complex is this striking piece of art, entitled Barley, by Sophie Marsham. The brushed steel sculpture stretches and twists up to one of the cut outs in the roof of the development, as if reaching for the light. The Brewery is built on the site of the form Whitbread (yes, you've guessed it) brewery. The brewery was founded in 1760 and was then known as Gardeners Brewery. In 1888 it was registered as The Original Cheltenham Brewery and in 1963 became Whitbread Flowers Brewery. Brewing of beer stopped on the site in 1998. The Whitbread Brewery was tied in with over 1300 public houses and many pubs in and around Cheltenham still have the Whitbreads glazed pottery tile displayed by their front doors. Whitbread no longer exists as a company, selling to Interbrew in 2000/01. Plans for the empty site divided Cheltonians, but after lying derelict and in serious disrepair, a mixed use leisure and retail plan was decided upon. To the North and West sides of the new construction the old Malthouse walls have been kept and create a facade to what lies behind. The Brewery is now home to a cinema, gym, restaurants and a few shops (including Habitat, as previously posted). As the site is off the beaten track retail units aren't being snapped up but it is filling up slowly. In commemoration, of what once was, I think they should open a Whitbread pub!

Fishy O'clock

The Wishing Fish Clock in the Regent Arcade in Cheltenham continues to fascinate children young and old. The clock, designed by Gloucestershire artist Kit Williams, is over 45 feet long and weighs 3 tons and is said to be the worlds largest mechanical clock. It is suspended over the main walk way through the Arcade and always has a crowd underneath awaiting the bubbles. The large white duck on the very top lays golden eggs, which are carried down in red egg cups, and dropped into the spinning wheel, that rotates round the top of the clock face. The eggs are then deposited into the 6 foot square body of the clock and cause mice to poke out of the four corners of the clock. The clock face only has one hand, with the moon on the end, showing the minutes past the hour. The hour hand is represented by the sun moving round the face. When the clock strikes on the hour, and half past, it plays "I'm forever blowing bubbles" and the fish blows out all those eagerly awaited bubbles. Catch a bubble and make your wish!

Friendship Circle

This cast iron rhomboid forms part of a public art feature in Sandford Park. The Friendship Circle was one of the first Council funded art installations in Cheltenham, installed in 1993, by South African born artist Neville Gabie to represent the twinning of the town with other towns around the world like Anncey, France and Cheltenham, America. The work contains a flat plan, made of iron laid in the concrete, of one of the rhomboids and then has three rhomboids in different stages of completion. The four main paths in the park cross through the Friendship Circle. Its great to be able to get up close and touch or climb on this really interesting piece of art.

Imperial Theft and Travel

I discovered this marble fountain while searching for something blue for yesterdays post. I had no idea it existed, and have never heard about it before. It sits, tucked away from the pavement, behind some railings, on the Broadwalk (as mentioned yesterday). It is the Imperial Fountain, also known as the Napoleon Fountain, and it was stolen from Italy by the French in 1800. It was then taken by the English while it was on its way to France. The fountain was then sold to Thomas Henney, a Solicitor from Cheltenham. In 1826 Henney installed it in Imperial spa, now the site of The Queens Hotel. In 1834 the water feature was on the move again, this time up the road to Montpellier Gardens. It stayed in its new home until 1902 when it was restored and moved, again, to the Town Hall. Not done with all the moving about, it then travelled to the Public Library in 1926. It is now owned by the Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum, and is on loan to the Council as part of their public art scheme. So, at the moment, the Imperial Fountain is back where it started out in 1826. I hope the Italians don't come looking for it!

Minotaur And Hare

This bronze statue in The Prom has, in the past, been the cause of some controversy. It was originally installed in 1995 as part of a temporary art exhibition featuring the work of Sophie Ryder. As the exhibition drew to a close it was decided that a piece of her work should remain in the town. The Minotaur and the Hare was acquired in 1998 by public subscription (cost £50,000), and it has stood in The Prom ever since. Standing at over 7 feet tall it's hard to really miss it as you walk through The Prom, although locals rarely give it a second glance. It is good to see that it still interests some people.