Imagine a trail of clay figures made by people in Cheddar and the Cheddar Valley. Each handmade figure an example of creativity and individuality. Each figure unique!
Artist Bridget Hemmings is leading the Cheddar Individuality Project with two further ceramic artists Ella Phillips and Lucy Brown. Working with community groups, organisations and individuals they aim to create around 1,000 ceramic figures (roughly 13-15 cm tall). The idea is inspired by the artist Anthony Gormley’s Field installations. The project focuses on “Individuality” to celebrate that everyone is different and everyone is special, so each figure will be unique. The figures will be created out of 6 different types of clay to reflect our society today.
There are two parts to this project first creation and then installation.
Creation – the clay figures are being made in a series of workshops taking place in locations around Cheddar between Jan and May 2023. These have taken place at Bridget’s home studio, in local businesses and organisations, at the mendip AONB rangers station, 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 can’t attend a workshop in person it has been possible to make your sculpture at home and send it back to Bridget and the team for firing and inclusion in the exhibition.
Installation – the figures will be brought together in a one day exhibition at Cheddar Catholic Hall on 21 May 11am-4pm to see them all together. Then they will be installed in a public art trail – An opportunity to explore Cheddar and see the artworks placed in different settings around the town. The trail will be launched on 9 July 2023.
Exhibition 21 May 2023 11am-4pm. Join us for a one day pop-up exhibition of 1000 Cheddar Individuals all together at the Catholic Church Hall, Tweentown, Cheddar.
Walking Trail opens 9 July. You can see how many individuals you can spot in a walking trail through the Cheddar Valley.
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 making 1000 clay figures for an exhibition this summer.