Just a few more...

Last night was the opening of the Fallen Oak Leaf Project along with four other exhibitions at the Williamson Art Gallery as part of the Wilfred Owen Commemoration. Dame Patricia Routledge opened the exhbitions and I had the chance to show her the leaf I had dedicated to her Uncle Leslie Routledge.

More images to follow...

The Fallen Oak Leaf Project is on display at the Williamson Art Gallery until 18th.

I worked with the community as Artist in Residence at Prenton High School for Girls and in assocaition with the Wilfred Owen Commemorance in the lead up to the centenary of the end of World War 1. decorating leaves in commemorance of the fallen.

I have also been working on another project as one of the Wilfred Owen Commemorance artists designing poppies that will be on display in Hamilton Square gardens on 10th November.

We started installing the work today.

I recently returned home from a trip to Zakynthos which I took to witness first-hand the human effects upon the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta Caretta). I have been eager to visit this area with the idea of developing a project since researching ocean litter online and coming across volunteer opportunities to help with sea turtle conservation issues. https://www.archelon.gr/eng/volunt.php?mid=2

When I visited the beaches around Laganas and Kalamaki I was shocked to see the area strewn with litter. Some was litter left by visitors to the beach but some of the litter had become ocean rubbish, being washed in and out of the shore. Offending items included (but not limited to) hundreds of pieces of plastic of all shapes and sizes, plastic bottles and lids, used cable ties, broken glass, dog faeces and far too many cigarette butts to count. There were numerous signs explaining the importance of the ecological system the holidaymakers were engaging with, which also asked people to take their rubbish home with them but it seems very little notice is taken of these signs.

I was also shocked when taking a boat trip to turtle island. The company looked the part but when we got out on waves the driver said the speed limit was 6knots and smirked when teling us he was doing 30. I was disgusted , the limit is there for a reason. When we arrived at the island I couldn't believe that tourists hiring boats were anchoring the vessels in fenced off areas so that they had shallower water to wade through to get to the beach.

I am going to do some research on the tourismin in Zakynthos as it doesn't seem that any rules are being followed.

This leaf is dedicated to Thomas Dickson Fletcher. He was my Grandads uncle and died at the Somme in 1916 aged 22. Until my Mum started researching military records for this project we didn't know anything about Thomas, unfortunetly this is all I know about him.

It's fantastic news that the ROCK 'N' ROLL bee that Liam Gallagher and I designed has raised £15,000 for charity!

They Sail across the Mirrored Sea at George Henry Lee in Liverpool is finishing soon. On until 28th October.