Southwold Gate

Art in the Park artists Andrea Sinclair and Bill Hudson worked together with children from Southwold Primary School to create a ironwork gate. Inspiration derived from the different plant forms found on the Hackney Marshes, such as willows and rushes.

The first session with the children concentrated on possible designs and motifs for the gate.

In the second session, the children crafted 24 3D insect forms in sculpting clay.

These were used to make 72 cast steel insects for the final installation. The final design of the gates was then put together by gate artist Heather Burrell working with AiP artists Andrea Sinclair and Bill Hudson.

To prepare the 24 clay insects for casting at the foundry, the edges of the sculptures  were made at 45 degrees, avoiding overhangs or very thin areas. The details were also exaggerated. Once the models were suitable, silicon moulds were made, then finally resin casts  and patterns.