Sunday, June 20, 2021

Six years on - still standing strong - peace in the trees

 

In 2015 thirteen carved stone monoliths were installed on the Maleny Trail pathway on a section that runs parallel to the Obi Obi Creek from near the Riverside Shopping Centre to the creek near the Lighthorse pavilion.  The sculptures are installed along a section that is wide cement path that enables all people, including those in chairs or walkers, to see and reflect on the pieces.

The sculptures were created by 13 non-sculpture artists who volunteered to carve the pieces under the guidance of Craig Medson. Part of the story is recorded on the signage below. The Peace in the Trees Sculpture walk was opened in September 2015.


Six years on the Sunshine Coast Council arranged to have the works cleaned and sealed - thanks to Fiona McCarron, Edith-Ann Murray and Julie Hauritz (SCC). 

The works have nestled into the landscape - settled in amongst the trees and plants as they were designed to do.

A few photos of the cleaned works follow.


Creating Peace - Michael Givinchy


Solace - Kim Morland


Maleny Platypus - Cathy Lawley


Reflection - Judy Gardiner



Thought - Vivienne Bennet


Choice - Sally Fisher


Be still and let the peace of this place wash over you - Ken Munsie


Quandong - Edith-Ann Murray


Reptilian - Emma McDonald


Heartfelt - Carolyn Sheather


In a word peace - Katie White 


Shh.... James Crowther


Imagine Peace - Barry Smith
 

Many people who walk the pathway comment on how it lifts them to catch glimpses of the monoliths. Finding peace on the pathway and amongst the trees.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

A few more photos

It probably doesn't hurt to share a few more photos of the community participation in the official opening of the Peace in the Trees Sculptural walk?

An earlier Art4place blog post provides a good over of the journey of the creation and installation of the Peace in the Trees sculptures.

The official ribbon spanning Judy Gardiner's piece - Reflection.


The official opening was about celebrating the achievement of a piece of community art that recognised the contribution of community to its creation including: the artists; Sunshine Coast Council; local service groups, organisations and businesses; and the art installers. They were all invited to celebrate the contribution they had made to this community art.

Getting the official stuff underway (Cr McKay, Julie Hauritz and Barry Smith) - like the colour coordination.




Few shots of the community gathering




 The magic moment - the ribbon is cut - the walk is open.


Couple of photos of nine of the artists who were present. 

Big thanks to all the artists: Kim Moreland, Vivienne Bennett, Katie White, Ken Munsie, Michael Givenchy, Cathy Lawley, Carolyn Sheather, Edith-Ann Murray, James Crowther, Judy Gardinder, Sally Fisher, Emma McDonald, Barry Smith, Craig Medson; and after Craig's death, Wayne Markwort.



Ably supported by other Art4place committee members foreground and to the right!!!


Feedback suggests that many people find the walk an uplifting experience.

Peace in the Trees in the news

Just thought we would share a few cuttings from the Glasshouse Country and Maleny News celebrating the opening of the Peace in the Trees Scupltural walk at the beginning of September 2015. Big thank you to Cr Jenny McKay for doing the honours of officially opening the walk.




Great to see various groups represented Rotary and Maleny Visitor Information Centre); and also grand that families and friends of the artists came to the opening and participated in planting some Lomandras and joining in the celebratory sausage sizzle.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

The Peace in the Trees Sculptural Walk journey

©2012 Art4place - Pins in place to break the stone
©2012 Art4place - Making monoliths
© 2012 Art4place - Craig Medson breaking stone the traditional way
The Peace in the Trees Sculptural Walk on the the Riverside Centre (town centre) end of the Maleny Trail (officially opened on 22 July) started its journey in 2012 as part of Art4place's Creative Spaces 2012. Craig Medson began the journey by securing and breaking Helidon sandstone (see above) in the shed at Maleny Retreat (thanks Maria and Wendy); and gently and expertly guiding 12 local artists in the creating of peace and environmental stone sculptures (check out the link and see photos below).  

©2012 Art4place - Monoliths ready for chisels and hammers in Maleny Retreat's shed


©2012 Art4place - Sculpting begins 


Earlier this year (2015) Art4place were granted funds by the Sunshine Coast Council to hire Wayne Markwort  to again work with the local artists to fines the works so that the could become part of the SCC's public art collection; and be installed on the Maleny Trail on the Maleny Precinct. The artists were pleased that another experienced local stone sculptor was able to assist them to add to their works two years on.

©2015 Art4place - Emma at work
©2015 Art4place - Katie at work
©2015 Art4place - Judy at work
©2015 Art4place - Vivienne at work
©2015 Art4place - Kim - Solace finished
Over a 12 month period Art4place has worked with Cllr Jenny McKay and Council art staff Ant McKenna and Julie Hauritz to transfer ownership of the sculptures to the SCC; and install them on the Maleny Trail walk.

There have been many many steps in the installation process. A big thank you to the installation team - mainly Rhyce Skodnik and Edith-Ann doing 'the heavy lifting' etc.

Selecting the location for each piece.



Soil testing and drawing engineered footings.

©2015 Art4place - Jeff from EBIS Engineering at work

Transporting the works from Maleny Retreat to the precinct.

©2015 Art4place - Beautiful bundles transported by Rhyce and Edith-Ann

Digging footing holes and surrounding them with security barriers.


Pouring the punch pads - foundations with reinforced steel.


Drilling the pieces and inserting reinforcing steel; craning the pieces into place; levelling them; and securing them.

©2015 Art4place - Rhyce and Edith-Ann preparing to crane Shh.. into plsace



Pouring the concrete footings and trowelling it smooth.


©2015 Art4place - Craig was there to make it all smooth
Covering the concrete footings with crushed sandstone.

©2015 Art4place - Reflection surrounded with crushed sandstone


And adding the signs to the individual pieces and the main story boards

©2015 Art4place - Stainless steel etched signs ready for installation
©2015 Art4place - Attaching the individual art it signs
©2015 Art4place - Attaching the Story boards - one at each end of the walk
The installation is complete. The next blog will feature all the pieces in place. And the journey will be complete when the Peace in the Trees Sculptural Walk is officially opened on 2 September 2015.