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Community Art
We are passionate about supporting art made by people of all ages in the community. Projects that you might like to visit include: The Wareham Library Garden murals, The Sea Life Stone Bench alongside the garden path overlooking Swanage pier and the stone obelisk outside Burngate Stone Carving Centre. And don’t miss the three ceramic murals on Swanage Sea Front!
Swanage Sea Life Bench Project
Carlotta Barrow lead the Swanage Sea Life Bench project, inspired by the constant movement of the sea and the life beneath the waves. Stone panels were prepared with a crest of a wave carved on the top to evoke the rolling waters, with pupils from The Swanage School, led by art teacher Sarah Mulhern developing their designs and carving the panels at the Burngate Stone Carving Centre. We are grateful to Lovell’s Quarry for providing the pre-cut stone panels, to Scott Taylor for carving the waves, and to the Albion Quarry for providing ‘practice’ stone as well as various sponsors – notably the AONB (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty). The completed panels have been placed alongside the garden path overlooking Swanage pier.
Click here for more information . . .
Wareham Library Garden Regeneration Project
In 2018, under the inspirational guidance of Dawn Newlove, Wareham Primary School and the Purbeck Centre made a ceramic Story Book Mural to adorn an otherwise blank wall in the refurbished garden of Wareham Library. Young people painted tiles with scenes/characters from their favourite childhood stories . . . . such a suitable theme for a library garden! Do go and admire their work and the creativity of everyone involved.
In 2017, three local schools made a wide range of clay creatures, birds, plants and flowers as part of a Wildlife Frieze that was hung on the wall in the newly refurbished Wareham Library Garden.
In 2013 we helped to create the Community Tree of Life and Laughter.
Swanage Sea Front Murals
Work has started on the creation of a fabulous new mosaic panel for Swanage seafront – to replace the older dinosaur mural and complete the triptych. The theme for the new mosaic will be the protection of wildlife and habitats in the Purbeck area – and from what we’ve seen we are sure it will provide a visually stimulating piece of art for the community and visitors to enjoy! As well as raising awareness of the unique biodiversity of this area.
The design team, and around 90 children from local primary and secondary schools, are working on the design in partnership with Durlston Country Park, RSPB Arne and Butterfly Conservation. We can’t wait to see the result! Do keep a look out for it and the ‘opening’ date, in September.
We would like to thank Dorset Council for awarding us a grant, and for support from Swanage Town Council.
In 2022 we created an imaginative new mural for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Four schools worked hard to ensure this could be unveiled by the Mayor during the Festival – thanks go to The Swanage School, Purbeck View School, St Mary’s Primary School and Wareham Primary School. The design process and workshops were led by Dawn Newlove.
In 2016, The Swanage School, Swanage Primary School, St Mary’s Primary and Purbeck View School were all involved in workshops to produce swirling ceramic fish to join our 2015 Dinosaur Mural on Swanage Sea Front. It was all beautifully choreographed by Dawn Newlove and unveiled live on the local BBC News!
In 2015, with the guidance of Dawn Newlove, we created the second Swanage Sea Front Mural to sit to the left of the 2013 Community Tree Mural. It was designed to showcase our status as the gateway to the Jurassic Coast.
In 2013 we created the Community Tree.