Bridge Complete!

Bridge

This bridge is one of Carole's favourite parts of the Brampton Valley Way and one of the few remaining parts of the original railway line's architecture. 

Each year there is more rust than bridge left, the stair treads have been removed and it stands like a ghostly sculpture in the landscape.

The Northampton and Lamport Railway at Brampton Halt told us that would dearly love to move the bridge to the station and restore it's fragile rusting ironwork, 

but this may be a long way off as they have many other restoration projects underway at the station. It would be wonderful to preserve it, but then again, there is something graceful and strange about it's gradual weathering and decay.

Back in Carole's studio the Bridge mosaic panel begun at Stephenson Way continues to take shape, in spite of the thunder and heavy rain.

In the galley-like workspace, Carole has balanced one end of the panel on an open plan chest drawer and the other on the workbench in order to be able to work on the panel.

This is when the weather and the lack of space prove challenging, it is hard to check whether the colours are working and the lines describing the column are straight, even in the progress photograph, it's still quite hard to judge.

Having a limited budget, it is also a challenge to make the tiles we have and the colours we'd ideally like, stretch to cover the twelve panels. If you feel you'd like to help us overcome this practical concern you can make a donation to the project via our page on Localgiving.com. We would really appreciate your support, or you could wait until October, when there will be another Match Your Tenner campaign! 

Signal Box and Puddle Jumping Continued

Friday's Shednologists were Carolyn and Alice Bantin who worked together on the Signal Box panel 

Alice also took the opportunity to do some drawing and to try some new art materials.

After a very warm morning of mosaic making

mother and daughter had a rest in the shade before heading for home

In the afternoon Carole was joined by Kate Dyer and mosaic making stalwart Lucy Anderson. Kate worked with Carole outside on the Signal Box panel whilst Lucy braved the heat of the shed, aided a small electric fan and continued work on the puddles in Puddle Jumping.

The Young Visitors!

Signal Box - this panel had been started much earlier in the project but Carole had been saving the sky for these young visitors, who arrived with their father on a day not unlike the one in the photo above.

Lois aged 6 

and Riley aged 2

After a while Riley became more intrigued with 

the antics of Charlie Whippet,

but Lois remained fully engrossed

and didn't really want to go home!

We think they made a brilliant job of the sky 

(with a little help on the clouds from Carole!) 

What a Difference a Day Makes

Maureen Walvin and Grey Gibson continued the work on the Puddle Jumping panel. Predictably enough, the weather changed once again, the day was punctuated by heavy cloud and intermittent showers. 

but we stayed warm and dry

with a plentiful supply of tea!

Both found that mosaic making reminded them of 

their own experience of painting and quilting

and said the process was surprisingly relaxing.

Grey brought the gift of some much needed green tiles 

which added contrast to the areas they were working on. 

We are sure that the children from Priory Lower School

will be delighted when they see their puddlesome

adventure captured in mosaic form.

Hats on - Here Comes the Sun!

In contrast to the photo above - the inspiration for the Puddle Jumping panel - this was a day of glorious sunshine so we were able to work outside Carole's studio between the ripening cherries and the two budlea.

 

The unusually strong sunlight lead to 

some creative approaches to headgear 

from Sonja Wilson who niftily 

converted her bag into a sunhat

and Phiona Richards who pressed her 

Transported hat into good service.

Whilst working, we also had the 

company of many butterflies and bees

and we're happy to report that the panel 

is progressing well!

Stevie Way Group Panel Complete!