Feature Stories

Laughing Children's Garden

Good ideas take some time to become a reality. One idea developed by the Towards 2016 Working Group was the creation of a number of additional features for children at Mount Tomah Botanic Garden, so the whole garden has exciting elements for the younger generation.

The idea of an interactive children's area was developed into the Gwuulya Garri Dilya Garden (Laughing Children's Garden), a concept providing for an interactive sculpture located adjacent to the new Australian Woodland Garden where there's lots of space for families to picnic, kick balls around - and just have fun.

Thus was born the Breen Sculpture Competition, inviting artists to provide proposals for an interactive children's sculpture. Launched on 13 November by Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbut, the competition attracted over 60 entries competing for prize money of $20,000.

The competition entries were judged on their ability to inspire a love of plants, to engage with children - and for their artistic beauty. Images of the three finalists' proposals are provided below. There were lots of interesting designs with the three finalists proposals best meeting the competition criteria.

Vivienne Lowe - Xylem

'The sculpture is a large leaf structure that shows the leaf margin and

veins in 316 stainless steel. It sits at a 900 angle to the ground. The

structure is approximately 6 metres long and 1.5 metres high. The

skeletal structure is narrow and curves in an arc.

It is designed to be a musical instrument that children can play and

create sounds with. The shape is based on the Eucalyptus fastigata leaf.'

 

Marcus Tatton - Fantasy of the Fungus

'The sculpture will take the form of three giant toadstools growing out

of the ground and creating a canopy for children and parents to play

under. The toadstools will measure 3.2 metres high x 2.4 metres in

diameter. Also, there will be sculptures of 'puff balls', rhizomes, spores

and lava flows. By creating huge scale fungi, the human interaction is

immediately child-like because the human body is instantly dwarfed.  

The endgrain of the sawn wood is intended to weather naturally and

to develop a textural grey with deep shadowed crevices between wood

pieces & wood surfaces resemble the feel of natural trees providing

sapwood and heart wood, each provided for the touch and interaction

of the audience.'         

Glen Manning and Kathy Daly - Pod Pod

'The artwork is comprised of two sculptural 'organic' forms exploring

the concept of growth, potential and fun. The two stone pods are

inspired by seed pods with the design relating to the Blackwood Wattle.

The 'pods' are low to the ground, as if fallen from a nearby (giant) tree,

at a level easy to sit on or climb on. This invitation to interact closely

with the sculptures initiates a tactile exploration of the intricate surface

detail hand carved into the pod 'swellings'. The carved effect is of a

forest floor of leaves, flowers, insects and amphibians native to the

area. Fossil-like but also realistic, the details are a microcosm carved and

polished into the stones surface.

The announcement of a winner is planned for late May.   The entries are on show in the Waratah Centre at Mount Tomah.  If you are visiting to see our wonderful Autumn displays you may like to take the time to have a look at the entries there.