Main Photo: Members of the Arts Society Cranleigh and artist Ella Fielding alongside two of the winners, Hannah (left) from Park Mead and Bea (right) from Glebelands. © Martin Bamford
The Arts Society Cranleigh Young Arts Volunteering team in partnership with the Knowle Park Trust and Sussex based wood sculptor and carver, Ella Fielding, launched a competition last Autumn called ‘A Face in the Trees’ to all the pupils of Cranleigh’s schools, from Years 1 to 13.
The brief was to create a characterful and imaginative ’face’ which could be human, animal, mythical or anything their imagination conjured up. They were asked to tell the story of their ‘face’ and what inspired them to create it.
Seven winners were chosen, from over 150 entries, by a judging panel and their drawings have been fantastically interpreted in cedar wood by the talented artist, Ella. An exhibition was held in the newly created Knowle Park Secret Garden Community Art Space, before the seven sculptures were relocated to their permanent homes on trees around the Park, with the aim of bringing joy and a smile to the local community.
This competition has given the unique opportunity to seven Cranleigh pupils to have their artwork displayed as a public art installation, which fulfils the Arts Society’s objective of encouraging young people to engage in artistic experiences and practices which inspire them in their creative endeavours.
This project was made possible with a grant from The Patricia Fay Memorial Fund, which was established in 1981 in memory of the Founder of The Arts Society, the late Patricia Fay OBE.
