• Call seed
  • email seed
  • Seed facebook
  • Seed Twitter
  • Seed instagram
Seed Sedgemoor

Cheddar Individuality Trail

Individuality

The Cheddar Individuality project has been led by local Artist Bridget Hemmings and ceramic artist Ella Philips and Lucy Brown. The project has been working with community groups, organisations, local businesses and individuals. The project has created created over 1,000 ceramic figures (roughly 13-15 cm tall).

The idea was inspired by the artist Anthony Gormley’s Field installations. The project focused on “Individuality” to celebrate that everyone is different and everyone is special, each figure is unique! The figures have been created out of 6 different types of clay to reflect our society.

The project started with the creation then an exhibition where all the figures were positioned for one day only and then the installation for the walking trail.

The walking trail launches 9 July 2023 11am at the Cheddar Visitor centre

 

 

The trail is now open!

Come along and see how many figures you can spot in a walking trail through the Cheddar Valley.

You may find your own!

View the map here

Already visited the Trail?

We would love it if you took the time to complete this short survey on the project.

This will be very helpful informing future projects with Seed.

Click here to begin

Creation and Trail

The clay figures have been made in a series of workshops held in locations all around Cheddar between January and May 2023. Workshops were held at Bridget’s studio, in local businesses and organisations, at the Mendip AONB rangers station, park runs, local Men’s Shed and WI, in social and care settings, at the local School, and in public workshops and pop-up events.

For those who couldn’t attend a workshop it was made possible to create a sculpture at home and send it back to the team for firing and inclusion in the exhibition and trail.

The figures were brought together in a one day exhibition at Cheddar Catholic Hall on  21 May where you could view them all together. Over 300 visitors enjoyed the exhibition and cake donations.

Now they are all installed in a public walking art trail – An opportunity to explore Cheddar and see the artworks placed in different settings around the town.

Email the Artist for more information

Donations welcome

Artist Bridget Hemmings has worked with groups including The Mens Shed, local schools, a residential home and supported housing, the WI, Ukrainian support group, local industrial units, to make sure that people who don’t usually attend creative workshops or get an opportunity to try something new and create something amazing!
The project has been popular and is raising money to make sure more creative projects can happen within the community. 
If you can help support more creative activity please do donate.
Donate to Cheddar Individuality Project

BBC Interview

Following an interview on BBC Somerset Radio in January BBC Somerset returned to visit Bridget Hemmings and makers at an English Class in Cheddar to find out why local people are taking part in the community project.

Watch this video

Created by Individuals

Meet the Artists

Bridget Hemmings

Ceramicist and Project Manager

Bridget is a ceramicist with a successful business as both a maker and teacher of ceramics. As a qualified teacher (BEd) Bridget was a teacher  for 11 years 7 of which were as a head teacher. Now retired from teaching Bridget is focussed on her art. She was Chair of Cheddar Artists group for 5 years.

Bridget Hemmings

Ceramicist and Project Manager

Ella Phillips

Ceramicist

Ceramics Degree – BA Hons

Ella Phillips has been a studio potter and production thrower for over 18 years

Ella has worked with SPACE & Rural Life Museum, as well as organising and leading  Community Art Projects at Cheddar First School. 

She currently runs ceramics courses from own studio

Ella Phillips

Ceramicist

Lucy Brown

Ceramicist

Ceramics  Degree  – B A Hons

Ceramic tutor, ceramics work in schools and Lucy also runs her own ceramics business.

Lucy Brown

Ceramicist

Heidi Shakespeare

Promotion

Heidi Shakespeare

Promotion

Meet the Individuals