Conningbrook Lakes

At the beginning of 2018 Outdoor Studios were commissioned by Chartway Group Ltd (CGL), Latimer Developments Ltd and Ashford Borough Council (ABC) to run a temporary public engagement programme that will support the three permanent public art installations planned for Conningbrook Lakes housing and Country park development.  Julia Clarke and Tim Norris are currently working on the three planned art installations for Conningbrook Lakes and the Country Park. 

In year one of the commission Andy Evans, Amanda Thesiger, Gemma Gottelier and Laura Thomas worked with four local schools on workshops within Conningbrook Lakes.  The children learnt about the planned first phase of the art installations and looked at the plans by artist Julia Clarke.  In response to this and their findings from the areas surrounding the lakes the group created art works in response to the site and their inspiration from the work by Julia Clarke.  These included a 15m panoramic drawing using mixed media, clay maquettes, hapa zome images, mini nature books and willow boats.

This education/public engagement programme supports the permanent artworks and provides engagement activity particularly in the quiet moments of the commission programme. It centres on collaboration with the three commissioned artists, local schools and community groups and interaction in its widest sense with the landscape, people and wildlife. The outdoor workshops will encourage participants to interact with their environment and create artwork in response to their surroundings.