DAY 4

17th Aug 2020

Bracelet Bay, Mumbles

DYDD 2

17th Awst 2020

Bae Bracelet, Mwmbwls

Artists / Artistiaid:

SARA HOLDEN, TINA MARIE CUNNINGHAM AND AMI MARSDEN

Project Photographer / Ffotograffydd Prosiect: Phil Holden

Our 16th annual beach sculpture festival continued its journey on the fourth day at the beautiful Bracelet Bay in Mumbles. It is a small bay on the south of the Gower Peninsula with good views of Mumbles light-house. The west of the bay is separated from the next beach Limeslade Bay by Tutt Hill, which carries a coastguard look-out station.The name 'Bracelet' is thought to be a corruption of 'Broad Slade'. There are lots of interesting materials to use for sculptures here such as a plentiful supply of different shells, feathers and pebbles of many hues and colours. Our theme for Bracelet Bay this year was the seabird Kittiwake, in particular.. They are coastal breeding birds that form large, dense, noisy colonies during the summer, often sharing habitat with murres. They are the only gull species that are exclusively cliff-nesting. A colony of kittiwakes are living in the old Mumbles Lifeboat station rafters on the pier so we felt it was an apt opportunity to create sculptures about them. Kittiwakes have a white head and body, grey back, grey wings tipped solid black and a yellow bill.

A beautiful Kittiwake bird sculpture is created using the different coloured pebbles and shells found at Bracelet Bay. Humans have been inspired by birds for thousands of years with symbolic uses such as art, music and religion.

A Kittiwake preening its feathers was a lovely study to do from gathered natural resources. Finding all the white materials was great for opening people's eyes to the beautiful details of the beach environment.

Another Kittiwake is drawn up in the sand and made into a lovely mosaic

An environmental awareness about the site and its marine life was definitely achieved through the festival workshops with the opportunities in both visual discovery and verbal conversations with the artists.

Very good educational event for children. Really good to see how inspiring this is to others around us on the beach too.

A beautiful mosaic sculpture of a Kittiwake in flight was created on the shore by these young festival goers

The name is derived from its call, a shrill 'kittee-wa-aaake, kitte-wa-aaake'

An opportunity to discover the different materials that can used to create the marine animal themed sculptures and learn about the creatures at the same time. Selecting specific rocks or shells with certain colours or patterns brought the chance to study what was there and made the children's creations really meaningful and special. The workshops encouraged independent thinking, creativity and a greater sense of self esteem.We discussed marine life, in particular sea birds like kittiwakes

The multiple coloured pebbles on Bracelet Bay are excellent materials for creating mosaics on the beach.

All ages were involved in making some wonderful sculptures like this one based on a Kittiwake.

A perfect age to start helping to make the sculptures adorning the beach.

People were really committed to making intricate works - lots of enthusiasm and positive energy.

It was fun to discover that the Octopus sculpture made from grey pebbles could be made shiny with a splash of water from the bucket! Learning through play is such fun.

Fun, educational and beautiful creations. Very inspired to make more. Thank you.

Concentration and attention to detail were skills that children learnt whilst creating meaningful and beautiful sculptures.

Young children took time to find certain coloured stones and certain shells to create artworks and were really surprised by how well their artworks stood out after they were placed in the shape of their drawing. They were really proud and said they saw the beach and its materials in a very different light now so that next time they visited they could use their newfound skills and observations to create artworks independently.

Adding the wings to the Kittiwake in flight inspired participants as well as boosting resourcefulness and imaginative abilities and skills.

It was fun - really enjoyed!

What a star! Making sculptures are a perfect activity for learning all kinds of things and engaging with nature as well enhancing fine motor skills. Its great for learning how to count and learn different colours!

Wonderful experience!

The beach was alive with people coming all day to help make the sculptures and eagerly watched by those taking refreshment at the bar on the cliffs!

Artistic conversations and working together to create sculptures

A colony of kittiwakes nesting nearby were the inspiration and we focussed on this and then, in turn, on what they may eat.

People were also interested to find out about the five piece waymarking sculpture trail along the cliff path between Limeslade, Mumbles and Rhossili that our team of artists created and installed - see sculpture on the coast feature

FESTIVAL MESSAGES FROM PARTICIPANTS
WYBODAETHAU GAN GAN Y CYFRANOGWYR

Very good event of education for children. Really good to see how inspiring this is to others around us on the beach too. Alice Askey and family

Enjoyed the whole process of collecting pebbles and making a sculpture. Natasha Pike and family

Wonderful experience! Rachel Cole and family.

It was fun - really enjoyed! Helen Gallagher and family

Fun, educational and beautiful creations. Very inspired to make more. Thank you. Hannah Harvey and family

To see Day 5 of 2020 Festival at Blackpill Beach - click the link at the bottom of this page

I weld tudalen 5 o 2020 Gwyl Traeth Blackpill - cliciwch ar y ddolen ar waelod y dudalen hon

THANK YOU TO OUR KIND SPONSORS BELOW:

DIOLCH I'N EIN HYRWYDDION SY'N GWYBODAETH BOD:

Throughout each day of the festival activities the artists made talking and connecting with people about bio-diversity their priority. Collecting found objects and making sculptures is a great way to connect with people of all ages to enhance understanding and keep marine life and shorelines safe. The creation of a different marine birds were the perfect visual impact for heightening creative thoughts within bio-diversity.

A lovely sunny August day to spend on the beach with family and friends in artistic pursuit making beautiful sculptures based on Kittiwakes and other marine animals.

At the end of the day, the beach was adorned with a wonderful display of sculptures for others to see and enjoy. The Artists packed away the flags and banners ready for the finale at Blackpill Beach..