Rambling the Sculpture Park

It’s Mothering Sunday in the UK.  The Netherlands and US celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, but in the UK, it’ always the fourth Sunday of Lent.  This makes the actual day a bit unpredictable, so the Tesco is full of people picking up flowers and cards.

Dads with small children are more practical, centering on spending the day out as a family, doing something Mom would enjoy.  A drive into the country, a walk in the woods, and Art, perhaps? 

The Sculpture Park, outside Farnham, filled with earnest fathers running fingers through the guidebook to avoid the naked statues, kids in wellies sloshing through the muddy trails on a drizzly day, and small groups of women, trailing and chatting.

And me?  ‘just another determined day off.  I’d given the group the week off after completing the audit successfully, and my w.wezen was being fêted by daughters.  A day’s ramble in arty woods would clear my head and reset my spirit.

I always enjoy Sculpture Gardens, and this is one that I’ve had my eye on.  ten acres, two miles of trails, over 700 sculptures to see.  The catalogue suggests a winding route around the lakes and over the hills that takes in all of the works, and i was over three hours completing it.  The bare trees and low clouds (dropping occasional hail)  wasn’t ideal light for composing pictures, but there are lots of small delights to photograph. 

    

The sculptures are very diverse, quality ranging  from a majority that are clever / whimsical down to a third that seem banal and derivative.  I suppose that is ‘par for commercial art: all are for sale and there are a few that I would take home (someday).

   

It is well worth a trip and spending an afternoon: reasonable admission (I paid my own way), helpful staff, and lots of imagination-stirring.

More photos, as always, on my Flickr page.