The Nursery at Bellingdon

Designed by International Renowned German Eco-architect Gernot  Minke The Children’s Nursery in Bellingdon Bucks, nestles unassumingly in its beautiful rural setting. With a traditional wood-fired brick exterior; the vernacular building language of the area, a nod to the past and heritage, but then topped with a living green roof. An understated departure, the first of the buildings surprises, and one of its less hidden eco-credentials.
        

My part in the research and development started in 2019 and lasted for over a year and included generating ideas and designing a new range of coloured glazes, specifically for this unique project. Alongside this, I gradually developed a caste of marine-themed characters; stingrays, whales, octopus, turtles and fish, a playful ensemble set in a texture watery world.
                   

The final phase organically expanded allowing the remit to consolidate and settle; a wall; to surprise and explore. A newly adopted technique, a hybrid, the ceramic-based collage is Intended to be playful, historic and educational. It includes found objects of interest and relevance, fossils millions of years old juxtaposed with shiny new glass beads; deliberate textures, surfaces to excite young eyes, ignite curiosity and invite the exploratory touch. The highly focused installation was nearing completion when the covid pandemic hit in March 2020 and I had to down tools and leave the site, leaving the final two, tiny pieces of gold, yet to be discretely added to the walls sunken treasure chest!