Project X Church/Slum Goths yurt build in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.

I was invited by the 'X Church' and 'Slum Goths' of a Victorian 'former' church in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire (run by Marcus Hammond) to build a yurt type structure in this grand old building, funded by CFBT - Lincolnshire School Improvement Service. The structure has to provide a space for a warm, comfortable practice room also suitable for workshops and meetings etc.... 'warm' was the operative word as we found out, a church doesn't hold its heat too well.

Willow mock-up.

Freshly chopped willow sponsored by builder John Courey, from Ratby, Leicestershire.

Prepping the twigs!

'Bruising' the twigs

The finished dome/yurt now requiring covering to keep the heat in and the sound contained.

After a midnight finish I find sheep running round the lanes, that kept the local bobbies busy for a while!

Special thanks to Marcus Hammond, Frazer Johnston and Leigh Adams.

Herrick Primary School, Leicester

I've recently completed an amphitheatre for Herrick Primary School in Leicester with my good friend Peter Wood and the whole of Years 5 and 6!

Together we created a very large gateway arch and a sturdy boundary screen for their new outdoor performance area.
Apple and plum trees have been planted around the willow and sweet chestnut construction to give height, shade, beautiful blossoms and fruit for years to come. There are a few cooking apple trees, russet (my personal favourite) and various types of plum were planted with care and love from members of each year group, which is highly appropriate as the area used to house an orchard before they were cleared to make way for a new housing estate.

White's Wood Lane Junior School, Lincolnshire.

This is the first part of some work for White's Wood Lane Community Junior School in Lincolnshire.

Mowmacre Hill Primary School/Creative Partnerships and Leicester botanical gardens

I started working with Mowmacre Hill Primary School in November 2007 with workshops with Year 6 to instigate a design process, which then progressed into an exhibition of the children's work and their ideas for new spaces/areas within school grounds. After this stage, parents, staff and children of the school voted for their favourite.

Then the build began! A large watertight shelter/eco-dome for use as an outdoor classroom with a large staged area for performance with seating next to it.

This is the performance area, a 4 metre pentagon makes up the stage and seating all made with oak decking while the seating also has willow backing.

Inside the dome before the weather-proof membrane is attached.

The dome from the outside before the membrane is attached. Plants will be planted around the dome and allowed to grow up and over the dome which will help to make it even prettier!

Finishing off the inside of the dome, with the membrane now attached, more pictures to come...

These are shots from Cloud Wood from where the oak decking came from, all felled and planked to size on-site!

The Boston Hakusan friendship garden in the Giles school, Boston, Lincolnshire.

This was a wonderful project I started with my friend and colleague Peter Wood in March this year for the Giles school in Boston, Lincolnshire.
They have an exceptional Art Department who had the vision for this beautiful Japanese garden which all importantly had living willow as part of the structure.

The garden with finished structures, just waiting for the living willow to take hold..

Just a few months later, the willow has rooted and introduced lots of lovely greenery to the garden, a splendid sight to behold!

The garden was unveiled in July by the Mayor of Boston, Councillor Peter Bedford and Japanese exchange students from Hakusan City - who were incidentally brilliant at weaving willow, despite my very poor grasp of the Japanese language!

Hare, Coleman and Garland show at TBWA, Manchester

At last an opportunity to work with Inkymole (aka Sarah Jane Coleman) who pulled together a perfect crew to build install and execute 13 witches/poppets for TBWA advertising agency in their converted offices in St. Paul's church in Didsbury.

Concept by Inkymole, confessions by Ed Garland.
Check out Inkymole's blogspot for more information and pictures.

The Ravens at Manor House School, Ashby De La Zouch, Leicestershire.

These 3 handsome guys are called 'The Ravens'. They are the guardians commissioned by Ashby Arts Festival to overlook the Victorian Manor House School and the Ashby de la Zouch castle which was originally built as a manor house in the 12th century
The Ravens were woven using willow around a steel armature and now reside on oak plinths in their new historic home.

Sun God at Brocks Hill, Oadby, Leicestershire.

The crow here represents our very own native English Sun God Ra!
I carved his footprints into a delicious eight foot slab of seasoned oak, which was grown, felled, planked and rested on the Staunton Harold estate.

The footprints wind their way up this tasty slab of oak, on a journey to and past the willow 'sun' woven around a steel sphere nestled within the wood.
This handsome Leicestershire Sun God survived a rainy unveiling, but now casts a welcoming glow over Brocks Hill Park, Oadby and beyond.

Thomas 'Hare' in Market Bosworth