JOHN MILLER
Have you noticed something new and different in Farnham Heath Nature Reserve recently? It even caught the attention of the BBC! Sculptor Walter Bailey, inspired by the historical process of local glass making in medieval times has designed and constructed 'The House of Invisible Hands’.
Hidden in the woods, the hand-carved wooden structure is constructed out of oak with walls of chestnut coppice that offers shelter and a resting point for walkers to experience the artwork from outside and within.
The BBC Countryfile team were so taken with the concept of the piece that they wanted to film it being built. They joined Walter and his team of volunteers as they created the structure in a day. Throughout the process Walter explained the stages to presenter Steve Brown;
Walter comments; “The House of Invisible Hands is a shrine to those who made forest glass. The glass was made by peasants and often children worked long hours stoking the furnaces. This structure represents the many hands that laboured within local forests years ago.”
This project is part of Surrey Unearthed an art programme from Surrey Hills Arts, which has seen a variety of artists create pieces inspired by the history and natural materials of the Surrey Hills.
This involves working within the forest and using the raw materials of the landscape to keep the furnaces going. The impurities in the materials created the green of the resulting glass objects.
Walter continues; “It is my hope that when you visit the site, you enter into the tranquillity of the landscape... It was fantastic for the Countryfile Team to take such an interest in the piece – it’s a great opportunity to profile the arts within Surrey but also the magnificent landscape of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”.
See for yourself how the ‘House of Invisible Hands’ was created on BBC’s Countryfile this Sunday 31 March at 6 pm. Or visit it yourself, The Sculpture can be found on the RSPB Farnham Heath Nature Reserve, visitors can park at the Rural Life Centre, The Reeds Road, Tilford GU10 2DL.
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