Education

Working with out-of-school clubs

The Ashgill 'Nature Mural'

Article by Delphine Jasmin-Belisle

From June 6th to June 12th 2008, Ashgill Grampus Heritage & Training' headquarter, went through a major tidying-up; it has also been the heart of a gigantic project joining art to nature. The two artists, Helen Elvin and Delphine Jasmin-Belisle, produced a colourful mural on the side of a Portacabin, recently acquired by Grampus to receive foreign students and host outdoor schoolclubs. Since the size and shape of the building and the time limit needed to be considered, many challenges were faced by the two creators even before the first drop of paint had reached the wall. Still, Helen and Delphine's greatest challenge was to find a new and innovative way to interpret and promote nature. The decision was taken not to use forestry or historical reconstruction, but instead to express the environment through art inspired by fairy tales.

Helen Elvin examines her work in progress
New recruits from Cockermouth Outdoor school club give a hand for the final details of the mural

Ideas were borrowed from the British masterpiece Lord of the Rings (using Ents, the tree-men of the novel), the traditional green men, the fairytales' fairies and nymphs. Even foreign painters as Hieronymus Bosch, famous artist from the Renaissance period, left their mark in the style. More local painters were also hired: the Cockermouth School Outdoor club got involved in the mural. The children carefully followed Helen and Delphine's directions and painted mushrooms, flowers and plants, giving a beautiful final touch to the artwork. One of the little "painter-in-training" stared a long time at the mural afterward, astonished how much it looked to have been done by proper artists!!! In the following week: willow bark stripping, ivy peeling, fleece cleaning, grass cut… the continuity of the make-over? No… the preparation for Woolfest 2008. During this festival, Grampus will gather students from Estonia, Slovakia, England and Quebec (Canada) to create clothes with a woolly theme, including grass, bark, willow, leather, stone… A story to be continued…
The artists-in-formation take great care of their masterpiece
The final result

Grampus Heritage and Training Ltd, Ashgill,Threapland,

Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 2EL, United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0) 16973 21516

Fax: +44 (0) 16973 23040

E.Mail: enquiries@grampusheritage.co.uk