Jan/Feb 2024

January/February 2024 17
Infants School, Oakdale Infants School, Wells
Primary School and Churchfields Junior School
to design a new sculpture for South Woodford,
by making art together, exploring the themes
of nature and flowers. We did
this by making lots of flowers
out of cardboard
and painting and
colouring
them.
After working
in the schools,
I went away and
built a big model of the
whole of the George Lane
roundabout and worked out
the overall design with little maquettes of the
flower sculptures, about two inches high. This
model then led to making full-size patterns
in wood for the sculpture, which I had cut out
in Southend and then took to my studio near
Colchester, where I formed all of the flowers
and welded and painted the sculpture.
For me, this was a very special commission. I
trained as a painter and sculptress in Belfast.
Up until the flowers, I had made lots of
big, three-dimensional paintings and
constructions, all built from either wood,
thin steel metal or cardboard, but I hadn’t
yet made a big, permanent public artwork
for outside, and it was the first time I’d worked
in thick steel. The whole project was part of a
joyful time, which I think is reflected in the fun
and happy character of the flowers.
I like making artworks that are visually
appealing and tactile, and I trust my instincts
and imagination to come up with them.
You don’t need a degree in art to appreciate
the flowers, and I often surprise myself in
coming up with ideas. You could say they
have something anthropomorphic about
them, they add something fun and strange to
George Lane, but when I see children playing
about them, I think they have understood
them, as well as me, and anybody else.
For more information and to contact
Nicola, email n.burrellartist@gmail.com
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