Flooding Swanage with Art trail

So, October 25th I completed my panels. They were installed on Friday 27th October as I was away and I saw them on Sunday 29th on our return.

On Thursday November 2nd Storm Ciaran flipped two of the blocks with my art over and pushed them halfway cross the rod scratching the artwork.

I seem to have discovered this first as I was out early to put my bins out after the bulk of the storm had passed and went for a walk to check on the blocks. I was remarkably calm about it as the blocks absorbed the energy that it took to move three blocks with a combined weight of just over 7 tonnes of water.

I messaged Dorset Coast Forum who contacted others and by high tide three hours later the blocks were back in place with the damage clearly visible. That morning at 08:45 I was part of an interview about the project on BBC Radio Solent. My photos were then used(with my consent) on the BBC News site for Dorset, local news – Swanage News, Dorset Coast Forum and Swanage Town Council.

This led to a follow up on the same station the next morning and a follow up to the art damage the following week plus an interview on Purbeck Coast radio too.

By now others had seen the damaged panels and lots of people sought me out to express their sympathy.

On Friday 3rd we had the official opening ceremony but the council had managed to flatten both damaged panels so that the buckled edges were now safe and they remain as a mark of the damage nature can do, I will be commissioned to do two new panels as part off the project which will be alongside the originals. The diver / Save Our Sea panel will be an exact match working with my three artists from All Sort’d. The sailing panel may be done so to be more even scale wise, an artistic decision.

In retrospect the damage and movement of the blocks and panels has made for a much wider discussion of the need for flood defences. On November 23rd I will assist with an open classroom day as the original was on storm warning day. Then on November 24, December 19, January 24 and February 16 I will lead a one hour trail walk about the art trail, panels and also include some geography linked to he flood defence needs of each location. This is a free activity between 11 and 12 each time and will start from my shop – just turn up.

I am so glad I pushed myself to a) get involved in the project: b) to push on when the amount of art became a mental and physical challenge (13.45 m in 3.5 weeks hand drawn).

The commission has paid for the month of October as a typical business month. The follow up media interest was interesting and I wait to see if it will link to increased interest in my work over time.

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