The Samples are Here!

Love a sample! There's something really gorgeous about a miniature version or a to scale section of an artwork and these are no exception. I'm really happy with three of the four, but a bit unsure about the 'business and technology' pattern, it feels a tad clunky and doesn't fit together as well as the others, might have a look at a slight tweak pulling the content in a little.

Tweaking (not to be confused with twerking!)

Pattern tweaks back from the fabricators ....  mild steel samples on their way :)

Let there be light!

So ..... how to light up the shapes.

How easy it is to spend hours on end mooching through books and websites searching for solutions,(pinterest you suck the time out of my day!).

Solar lighting it has to be but how to insert the lights inside the sculptural shapes and still be able to access for maintenance?  A small hinged door on each shape perhaps?!

Perfect Patterns?

Each Beacon shape has a different theme based on research, workshops, discussions and feedback from Beacon users.

ACTIVITIES / CELEBRATION / BUSINESS / EVENTS

activities and community

This pattern contains three elements all taken from pupils artwork during sessions at King Alfreds, one alludes to the white horse, the other to an active happy person, both of these were formed from maps of Wantage town centre. The third shape was constructed to represent community by the student and consisted of 6 houses gathered together in the centre, what you see here is the silhouette.

celebration and nature

The leaves were taken from a pupils designs for the installation, the streamers add the celebration

business and technology

the finish flag highlighting williams formula one HQ just outside the town and indeed the horse racing, sounds waves and molecules pointing to the huge range of science and technology being developed at Harwell

events and culture

cross stitch interspersed with symbols of dance and music, the cross stitch representing culture and the groups it creates, pointing to the museum and it's exhibitions and amazing collections and volunteer. 

 

 

Metal Metal

So how will the patern looked laser cut into the stainless steel? our fabricators have supplied this gorgeous sample using the same 5mm thickness stainless steel.

 

So now need to decide on pattern size across each wedge and consider within that health and safety issues ie how big should the shapes be to consider little fingers! I'm not totaly convinced, it feels a tad too constructed I'd like it to somehow be a bit more organic, not sure if that's possible and don't think I work organically to be honest, but am always longing for a flowing feel!

Pattern Time!

Ok so positioning decided, materials confirmed, shapes scaled up, just need to work on the content of the pattern now ....

The initial just three simple elements created by pupils at King Alfred's Academy. Two are geographical tracings from maps of Wantage and appear very heiroglyphic, one alluding to the White Horse by it's animalistic shape, the other reflective of a joyous person. The third symbol was constructed by repeating the outline of a house shape and was deisgned by one of the pupils to represent community. (You can see the patterned visuals on the second draft proposal sheet)

The three elements

Creating the first pattern tile

The pattern tile repeated

Wedges

Each of the four 'wedges' have now been scaled up and passed to the fabricator: