‘Opening the Trunk’

A Fairyland Outpost. Oak tree carving for Cannon Hall Country Park.

At Cannon Hall Country Park near Cawthorne there is a whimsical area of the grounds known as the Fairyland Gardens featuring pools and arranged medieval ruins amidst specimen trees. Having created a relief panel of a Georgian faerie from slabs of an ancient yew tree for the pleasure gardens an idea to create an outpost of Fairyland in the grounds was suggested.

A 300 year old oak had fallen several years ago and it was decided to utilise it as an outpost to Fairyland.

Public consultation consisted of a short tour of the grounds with fairy tales followed by copper embossing art workshops to develop the theme.

A portal to the land of faerie including hinges and hasp to open or shut it by with denizens, peeping out

I then began sketching in pen and ink and in copper repousse before tackling the colossal trunk with a carving axe, an adze and mallet and gouges. Hand carving preserved the tranquility of the grounds for the visitors and allowed for casual interaction with the public.