Barrage Seal

In 2018 I was asked by a worker at the Stockton Barrage about becoming a volunteer, we worked out that I could best help them by trying to create a sculpture park around the Barrage area and I asked the folk from Cleveland Carving club if they would be interested in joining in. They carved small shoals of fish which would be placed on the planters around the area and I would start doing some big pieces. All the wood would come out of the river and dry overtime before we carved it. The Canal Trust guys understood that the pieces may be outside and would deteriorate over time, but that’s the nature of outside carving.

We looked at the possible subject and a Harbour seal was chosen as the first big project. A large piece of alder was found in which the seal and a diving otter could be carved. I used an Arbornet grinder to do the big work with various other power tools as I’m scared stiff of chain saws. We had also ideas for an Octopus in a dipping pond and a Lambton worm careering down an embankment. During 2018 the Alder stump sat and dried out and work started in earnest in 2019 at a steady pace and everyone seemed pleased with the outcome. The work was finished by March 2020 and we were ready to install her with the idea of adding a seal pup at a later date. The club folk had managed to get a number of shoals completed for the planters and it was all systems go.

Schools in the area had been involved in naming her, then Covid struck and as yet I don’t know what has become of the seal or the project. I haven’t heard from the Canal Trust guys. I hope at some point we can continue, but as I’m shielding with my wife, then it could be some time.

I enjoyed doing the big stuff although I dropped off carving during the start of covid, I’m getting back into the saddle and have planned a leaping salmon and a kingfisher (surprise, surprise). I’ve created an outdoor lean-to in my garden where I can be as messy as I like without getting told off .

Other pictures from start to near completion.