THE SOUTH CLIFF SCULPTURES
Poetry, Patterns and Stone
We are thrilled to announce that we have been commissioned to create three new stone sculptures for Scarborough's historic South Cliff Gardens. The sculptures will form part of the garden's regeneration project and celebrate our town's heritage, natural beauty, geology, and community spirit. Through this project, we aim to engage our local community in co-creating an enduring artistic legacy while enriching the sensory experience for all visitors to the gardens.
The tactile sculptures will take the form of three iconic animals native to the gardens and surrounding area — the Rabbit, Toad, and Cormorant. Each will invite visitors to explore the rich tapestry of life within the garden.
To help us in creating the sculptures, we're running three days of free workshops in which we are inviting our local community to explore the gardens through poetry, pattern making and stone carving.
Poetry workshops led by South Cliff Gardens resident poet Charlotte Oliver will form the basis of an original poem that will be hand-cut across the base of each statue. In our second round of workshops, families will follow a local artist on a journey of discovery, uncovering natural patterns and shapes that we will develop into the textural surfaces that adorn the animals.
The third workshop will give participants the opportunity to try stone carving under the watchful eye of time-served Stone Mason Graham Sykes.
All workshops are free to access and can be booked by following the links at the bottom of this page.
The Sculptures
These sculptures stand as emissaries from the surrounding environment, each embodying a cherished memory of the diverse habitats that flourish in South Cliff Gardens. Through anthropomorphic modifications, the sculptures underscore the interconnectedness of humanity and the world we inhabit. They challenge the notion of a rigid divide between us and nature, prompting us to re-evaluate our position as participants, not just observers, in the ecological tapestry.
We hope that children finding themselves face to face with these captivating creatures will feel a kinship, becoming companions and fellow explorers amidst the wonder and beauty of nature.
Each sculpture will stand on top of a dry stone wall plinth, and as nature reclaims the stone bases, these sculptures will become living parts of the garden, providing new habitats and creating a physical connection with the surrounding ecosystem.
The Stone
The sculptures and pedestals will be carved from Cadbey limestone. It is a warm cream in appearance and is classed as Magnesian limestone, also known as dolomitic limestone. It is a sedimentary rock formed during the Permian period between 299 and 251 million years ago. It was formed from the accumulation of sedimentary particles on the bed of the Zechstein Sea, which covered a large part of the UK, including the North of England. In essence, it is formed from a vast tropical reef that the North Yorkshire coast now sits on the edge of.
The Workshops
-
A Poetry Adventure With Charlotte Oliver
May 11
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Clock Tower Esplande, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Join the brilliant South Cliff Gardens Poet in Residence, Charlotte Oliver, on a writing journey inspired by the creatures who make their home in South Cliff Gardens. We will gather inspiration during a walk through the gardens then write in the comfort of Beeforth’s Hive. Participants can choose to have their work interred in the pedestals of three enchanting new stone sculptures soon to be unveiled in South Cliff Gardens!
Booking essential
-
Pattern Finding With Sefton Freeman
May 25
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Beeforth's Hive Esplanade, Scarborough, United Kingdom
You are invited to join artist Sefton Freeman on a journey of discovery within the gardens, uncovering patterns, shapes, and stories that will breathe life into the new sculptures. Patterns developed in Sefton’s workshops will be used to texture the surfaces of the stone sculptures.
Booking essential
-
Stone Carving With Graham Sykes
Details to follow
This project has been made possible with sponsorship from Norton Stonemasonry and funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Parks For People scheme and the National Lottery Community Fund.
