The Swifts are Flying
Charlbury Art Society has completed the first phase of a Community Art Project to make and install swoops of swifts. The individual birds have been made from mosaic and the first swoop has been placed on the Nine Acres Pavilion wall in the courtyard outside the library.
This community project built on the success of the have-a-go sessions held last year. A series of workshops were organised to make the swifts. The initial workshop was held in June at the Community Centre with members of the Youth Club making the first swifts. The 59th snd 60th swifts were made this week by Freddie and Sam Moreton, whose grandfather Andrew Lawson has done so much to bring swifts back to Charlbury.
The idea behind the scheme is to promote greater participation in the arts in Charlbury, particularly to encourage more younger people to engage in the arts. The project is being supported by an established local mosaic artist, Becky Paton, who has created a number of community mosaics in Oxfordshire.
Generous grants from the Charlbury Beer Festival and West Oxfordshire District Council have enabled materials to be purchased and members of the Art Society have freely given their time to support the workshops.
Patricia Freeman, who led the project, said "It has been wonderful to see so many people try something new and to share their pride in each swift. It was amazing to see them up on the wall yesterday and to look at them shining in the sun this morning."
There will be a talk by Oxfordshire's swifts expert Chris Mason on Tuesday 4th December. This event will also raise money for the next phase of the project. See events page.