I became involved with the project when I answered an advertisement in the Artist News magazine (AN).  It was under the heading “Loose Dogs and Loose Artists”. The title intrigued me, so I contacted them and arranged a meeting. After receiving a large page of directions on how to find it, this is how the project began.  The first mystery was solved when I arrived at the meeting point, opposite the entrance gate there was a sign that read: “LOOSE DOGS KEEP OUT”.

Marchwood is a private wood, and at the moment still closed to the public, but it is often opened for specific occasions/ groups.  For many years it was used by the Territorial Army as a training ground, and they have left a legacy of things no longer wanted. The only criterion for the artist is that, as there is no funding, you use whatever you can find or recycle. So that gave the second half of the title: “LOOSE ARTISTS”.

The woods are very beautiful and full of wild life; on my first visit the bluebells covered them like a blue sea. The main pathway leads you through to a beautiful lake with swans, ducks and many more birds enjoying the water, while the woods are home to rabbits and squirrels.  These are very inquisitive, as I discovered after a very close encounter while working out there.  As I walked along the path, there were some climbing ropes that had been left tied between to trees. A little further on there was a small pond with ropes across it and as I went round the corner there was a climbing wall. These three things became the basis for my work.

As you walk down the path, just past the rickety old bridge in the birch area on your right, you will see my first piece, “Woodwide Web”. This was created using saplings bound with coloured string tied between two birch trees.  I chose blue and yellow as a response to the bluebells and primroses that were so abundant. To make it more visible I added a central cd. When I began working on this piece it was the beginning of spring and there were only a few leaves sprouting on the trees. As time progressed the leaf canopy became denser making it harder to locate. The cd reflects any sunlight to illuminate the piece.

For my second piece you need to continue on just a few hundred metres, and you will come to a small pond. For this piece, "A Little Light Water Music",  I have covered three hoola hoops in kitchen foil and added old music cds ( from Bob Dylan to Handel's Messiah)  to the centre. These are suspended on fishing wire that was picked up from the beach at Dover. Again, depending on the time of year, these create a reflective view and mood especially at sunrise and sunset as the light catches them as they turn in the breeze.  This is a contemplative piece best viewed by standing and looking for a few minutes. (Thank you to my grandson Shane Howland for his input on this piece.) 

My third piece is very different from the others in so far as it was created in my studio and then installed on the wooden climbing wall. To view this continue on around the corner and then it is just to your left in the pine forest. The inspiration for this triptych of paintings comes from a photograph that I took on my first visit as I walked down the main path, between my other two pieces. Although most of the wood is very dense, there is a large field that has just a few sparse trees in it. This with the combination of trees from the location of the paintings is the basis of the work. It was very difficult to decide how to paint this. As an Eco artist I had to take into account all aspects of any effect that my medium may have as it erodes. With this in mind I decided to paint it in acrylics and seal with waterproof PVA.  These are not materials I would consider normally, but after much research found these would have the least environmental impact. The surface and the paint below should gradually dissolve with the weather and not flake or peel. This means that it should not be toxic to the flora and fauna within the immediate location. 

For more info please visit www.motherearthprints.co.uk