Darwin Takes Flight: Tuesday 13th of October 2009 05:01 pm
After a packed summer season of workshops and events - our successful project celebrating the life of Charles Darwin has now come to an end!!
The fantastic willow and recycled-material tortoises, created by home-educated young people and pupils at the Wakeman School respectively were displayed at various town centre locations, as part of the Darwin tortoise trail. Venues included the Hive, Shrewsbury Library, Rowley’s House Museum, the Darwin Shopping Centre, Bear Steps Gallery and the Shropshire Wildlife Trust…
The tortoises also made colourful appearances at both the ‘Teenage Kicks’ and ‘Shift-Time’ festivals in the Quarry prior to taking part in the trail!!
Plus, as if the tortoise trail wasn’t enough of a celebration to Darwin’s life and work - on Saturday 10th October, a further creative workshop was held at the Darwin Shopping Centre in Shrewsbury – in the former ‘Evolution’ shop nonetheless!!
Several artists helped young people produce origami and card hummingbirds, which were turned into eye-catching mobiles and hung in the window of the shop – creating a colourful display, which will be in situ on the middle level of the centre until further notice!! So make sure you check it out whilst you’re shopping!!
The final and permanent legacy of our Darwin project is the amazing willow sculpture of a Hummingbird, now affectionately known as ‘Willow’ - which lives in the sunny courtyard garden at the Hive – and is well worth a visit to see!!
The Darwin project has provided both the artists and young people involved, with the opportunity to learn new skills, including willow-weaving and origami – along with the chance to create new, positive links with other organisations, which are just two of the positive outcomes from the project – and two, that would make Darwin proud!
