The Big Hoot Chichester and Arundel Summer 2024

I had great pleasure in being asked to work with a group of children from St Philip’s Catholic Primary School Arundel, as part of the Chestnut Tree House Hospice fundraiser, The Big Hoot. The brief was to create a design for a 3’3” fibreglass owl sculpture, which would go on display for the whole summer as part of an owl art trail.

The inspiration for my design came both from the children at the school, and the two cathedrals in the towns hosting the trail. With the proverb ‘Mighty oaks from little acorns grow’ representing the children, and a stained glass style design relating to the windows in the cathedrals.

Together we painted a base coat and design onto the owl. The children then made painted and collaged papers from which they cut out oak leaf and acorn shapes, along with a nesting magpie and red squirrel to finish.  They then used acrylic ‘Posca’ pens to further embellish the owl, drawing gold leaves around the eyes and completing it with black outlining for the stained glass.