WOODLAND EXPLORER'S OPEN DAY
Venue: An Tairseach Ecology Centre
Come along & join in with arts & crafts, woodlands walks & interesting talks on a fun afternoon with activities for adults & children celebrating the beauty of forests & trees.....
An Tairseach Dominican Farm & Ecology Centre is the location for WAF's dedicated tree themed day. It includes a working organic farm with many animals (look out for Billy & Bobby the bog ponies) and large woodlands and conservation area on the hill overlooking Wicklow Bay. The Ecology Centre runs a variety of educational courses promoting sustainable living.
A CHOICE OF WALK.....
11.30am ENCHANTED WOODLAND WALK
Begins at Cosmic Garden (back of Ecology Centre)
Admission: €2 per person (under 3 free), includes tea/coffee/juice at end of walk.
Suitable for ages 4-12 yrs, terrain not suitable for buggies! Approx. 1hr 30m . Wear comfy shoes & bring a drink if it's sunny!
Use your secret map to discover where the fairies live, talk with the Wise Woman of the Woods, catch sight of bugs & butterflies & find out- is there really such a thing as the Lollipop Tree?
OR
11.15am WOODLAND STREAM STROLL
Begins at Farm Yard Suitable for ages 13+
Admission: €2 per person, includes tea/coffee/juice at end of walk
Be guided through the organic farm at An Tairseach to the wooded stream walk with Julie, identifying trees & woodland flowers along the way.
Note: We intend to go ahead with these walks shower or shine (unless the weather is absolutely terrible!) so prepare to bring along wellies, coats & hats.
1.15pm (Back of the Ecology Centre) Complimentary tea/coffee or juice will be available. Why not bring along your own picnic to enjoy in the beautiful grounds of the Ecology Centre or avail of hearty soup & scones which will be on sale (€4).
1.30pm - 4pm WOOD CRAFTS & FUN ACTIVITIES
(Back of the Ecology Centre)
Facepainting, arts activities, crafts demonstrations & wood crafts on sale
Try your hand at woodturning on a lathe with Wicklow based artist Christien van Bussel.
2.30pm Launch of SCHOOL'S EXHIBITION 'Movement & Light' by Eamon de Buitlear
In Ecology Centre foyer
This initiative by the Dominican College Secondary School art teachers and students showcases pieces of work created using recycled materials.
In their own words..... This exhibition has given the 5th year a unique opportunity to discover & explore a number of different areas, most of them surprisingly close to home, the theme being “ Trees & Forests”. So we decided to explore the trees in the grounds of the school....
Group 1:
When we first read the brief we were baffled but given the opportunity to explore the trees in the organic garden and orchard we actually opened our eyes and had a proper look around our environment in a very close contact way. The gardens here are full of all manner of trees, shrubs & weird twisted things. So out we headed with our drawing boards, charcoal and markers to record them. There were sketches made, there were bark rubbings taken & all natural debris littering the grass was quickly snatched up to become part of our project. We also photographed the trees so we could still work when the weather wasn’t so obliging.
At this stage we were still figuring out the best way to record a palm tree in A4 size but then we started thinking about what we would actually make. A lot of our ideas were dictated by what recycled materials are easily available. We decided on a series of group projects, each group was given a piece of cardboard of uniform size to create the section of a tree. Using recycled paper pulp, coke cans, wire and pretty much anything shiny or interestingly shaped we created our boards. Each group’s individual board would then be mounted together to create one large relief panel.
Some wished to take a more literal approach & a series of mini trees were taken on by a number of students made from more recycled materials.
Group 2:
For this project, we used our existing knowledge of trees to create imaginative & stylised tree sculptures, not necessarily based on reality. We approached creating these pieces by researching artists & sculptors to see their creative take on nature and trees. Another factor we considered was the choice of recyclable materials that would be readily available from our homes & the local recycling centre. The three working groups then came up with individual ideas & planned their sculpture.
One team created a piece based on the theme “Winter Wonderland”. They used plastic bottles & paper for the trunk. The branches consist of paper maché covered wire. It was painted in various shades of blue & white using old paint from the art room. They found some blue & white feathers from an old art project & they were hung from the tree to create the effect of leaves. They also cut out leaf shapes from plastic bottles to enhance the foliage.
The second team developed the concept of a crazy multicoloured tree made from plastic bottles, paper, fabric, wire, a broom handle & light bulbs. The purple trunk was formed using plastic bottles, paper maché, wire & colourfully painted light bulbs. The leaves were made from fabric & attached to wire branches.
The third tree was created predominantly from wire. The frame of the sculpture was made from recycled metal wire wrapped around a broom handle attached to a wooden board. Recycled copper & multicoloured wires from household appliances were then twisted around the metal trunk & branches to enhance the sculpture. The trunk & branches were also decorated with old plastic beads from bracelets, paper clips, cans & bottle caps to bring more colour to the sculpture. The base was covered with paper maché & then a layer of collaged fashion magazines. With this sculpture, the team wanted to highlight how modern consumerism can have a negative impact on the environment. The materials used are all common consumer items & can badly damage the environment if not recycled but look at the art that can be created with a little imagination!
3pm IF TREES COULD TALK....
In the Ecology Centre conference room
Author and forestry expert Michael Carey presents a 45 minute talk and photographic presentation based on his book 'If trees could talk- Wicklow's trees & woodlands over four centuries' which documents the county's woodland history & culture.
After the talk, Michael will be happy to answer questions and sign copies of his book, which will be available to buy.
Michael Carey was born in Newcastle, County Wicklow, where he still lives. He has worked in the National Soil Survey (Agricultual College), State Forest Service and Coillte and has published extensively on tree nutrician. In recent years, he has worked as a Forestry & Management Consultant and is a member of various groups including the Irish Timber Growers Assoc., Society of Irish Foresters, Royal Dublin Society and Crann.
In association with An Tairseach Dominican Farm & Ecology Centre
