“Custom stainless steel wildlife sculptures integrated into existing park benches at Eastwood Farm Nature Reserve. Features intricate miniature details across two benches, including a kingfisher, mouse, and wren.”
Commissioned by the Eastwood Farm Nature Reserve, this project presented a unique and exciting challenge: integrating bespoke stainless steel sculptures into the existing park benches scattered throughout the reserve.
Rather than replacing the functional seating, the artwork up-cycles and elevates the existing infrastructure. For this installation, I retrofitted one circular armrest on two separate benches. Woven through the green metal hoops are delicate stainless steel vines and leaves, which serve as a habitat for a variety of highly detailed, miniature local wildlife.
Each bench tells a different ecological story relevant to the reserve:
The Water's Edge Bench: The armrest on this bench features a beautifully textured kingfisher perched attentively at the top. Below it, a newt, a swimming fish, and a delicate water boatman navigate the lower branches.
The Undergrowth Bench: The second bench shifts focus to the woodland floor. Its sculpted armrest features an agile mouse balancing on the upper vine, a crawling snail, a small wren, and a central spiderweb complete with a waiting spider.
This dual installation transforms standard resting spots into an interactive wildlife discovery trail for park visitors of all ages.
