Girls create natural willow sculpture at art workshop

STUDENTS at Queen Anne’s School in Caversham welcomed artist Greg Humphries for a three-day workshop exploring environmental art.

Every year the sixth form art students travel to St Ives to work with the artist but for this project he brought his creativity to Caversham.

The girls were amused to find boats filled with stacks of willow in water propped up against their art department.

All the materials were grown in five woodlands in Cornwall managed by Mr Humphries. They had been stored and soaked in order to keep their natural strength and flexibility.

The girls manipulated the willow into a giant curve structure representing the organic forms found in nature.

Mr Humphries said: “It’s a great hands-on way to be connected with nature. As the form of the sculpture is organic, it might look a bit random, but every single part of it is diligently planned. I really enjoyed collaborating with the girls.”