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Visitor Information: The RPS Gallery and coffee shop will be closed on Saturday 7 December

Polar Bears
CREDIT: Sue Hutton ARPS

A Walk in the Woods

A mother and baby polar bear made from willow filled with single use plastic

Artspace in Loughborough has created an Outdoor Sculpture Trail in the Outwoods this summer. The Outwoods is a fragment of the National Forest, one of the oldest surviving areas of woodland in Charnwood. It is being re-wooded with native oak, birch and alder to replace the coniferous trees that were planted during the second World War.

Above: Polar Bears

Aspire
CREDIT: Sue Hutton ARPS
Lady With The Rose
CREDIT: Sue Hutton ARPS

This year's trail, has been sponsored by the National Forest and Leicestershire County Council, the Arts Council amongst others, along with lottery funding, to showcase work by local artists working with Artspace. The trail will finish on July 24th. Now extended until July 31st.

 

Left: Aspire - Rooted in the Earth, Reaching for the Stars

Right: Spirit of the Woods

 

Taking Root
CREDIT: Sue Hutton ARPS
Replenish
CREDIT: Sue Hutton ARPS

It leads for one and one quarter miles through shady woodland, a welcome retreat to walk during the July heat, featuring 27 installations on the theme of Harmony and Healing for Planet and People. Artists have used willow, ceramics, textiles and even plastic to convey their vision.

Left: Taking Root

Right: Replenish

 

 

Wonderful Woodlice
CREDIT: Sue Hutton ARPS
Tides Of Change
CREDIT: Sue Hutton ARPS

The trail begins with a male figure called The Keeper of the Woods and a female figure entitled Spirit of the Woods. Amongst the trees you will find 70 small ceramic figures commemorating the Platinum Jubilee of HM the Queen. You need to look hard.

 

 

Left: Wonderful Woodlice (made in conjunction with pupils of Cobden and Outwoods Edge primary schools)

Right: Tides of Change

 

 

Holly Meets Burmese
CREDIT: Sue Hutton ARPS
Two Of Seventy
CREDIT: Sue Hutton ARPS

 

 

 

 

It's a charming walk culminating in the very welcome cafe in the car park. From a photographic point of view, I found that installations, particularly of materials such as willow and ceramics, make more of an impact in infrared than in visible light.

 

 

Left: Holly the dog meets Burmese, the Queen's favourite horse

Right: One of the seventy men sitting around the wood