Working with artists and craftspeople

Good illustration and photography adds vitality to any guide book or interpretation board. Artists are natural collaborators in the task of telling stories.

But introducing themes into places and landscapes using sculpture or other large elements, requires other sensibiltities, as well as enormous tact and respect for the places themselves.

We have considerable experience and great success in working with artists and craftspeople in the past and have produced results which have been widely enjoyed and appreciated.

Many sculptural projects have also had a very rich and valuable community or schools’ project attached to them, which has added to their resonance and local significance. The origination of the work is usually cafefully negotiated between the clent, the host community, ourselves and the selected artist, but the final artistic decisions are left to the artist. If we have done our job well, they’ll do theirs well.

Crafted and well made stands for interpretation boards can be distinctive and ‘well-mannered’– fitting comfortably and quietly into their surroundings.

above: Lindy Clark’s illustration work was used to good effect in the River Parrett Trail Guide; Lindy has also contributed to C&M projects - the Bristol & Bath Railway Path, the River Avon Trail and Goblin Combe Interpretation project.

right: Keith Rand, sculptor and craftsperson in residence on the River Parrett Tail, used this ‘Heron and Eel’ motif several times on stiles and other trail furniture. The heron and eel have a timeless relationship that also characterises the Somerset Levels landscape.