Flintshire County Council is linking up with the RNLI and chainsaw sculptor Clinton Challinor for the Dee Estuary’s biggest community arts project to date, The Big Dee Canoe Project.
In partnership with the Coastal Rangers the Arts, Culture and Events section of Flintshire County Council have coordinated a year long Art in Nature project, part funded by the Arts Council of Wales, looking at Talacre Beach and the Dee Estuary. Becky Churchill was the first of three artists who were based along the Flintshire Coastline, painter Jan Gardner was in residence from January to April 2011 and Clinton Challoner is in residence from May to July 2011.
Over a ten week period through the Arts in Nature funding this project to build a canoe will turn back time to when industry, fishing and wildfowling first dominated the daily ebb and flow of the Dee estuary.
Clinton, who has created three such canoes already and recently returned from visiting Ireland with one, will show visitors how to carve and create this piece of working art. Everyone visiting will be encouraged to take part and carve the canoe from a 16 foot by 3 foot piece of Douglas Fir. Groups are also welcome to book block times as the project travels through their community.
Riverside communities from Talacre to Connah’s Quay will be invited to take part as well as people from all over the county. A special invitation also goes out to the Flintshire sea fishing communities to take part.
When the project is finished, RNLI crew members and Flintshire coastal rangers will launch and paddle the canoe from Connah’s Quay as a tribute to the historic ship and boat building trades of the River Dee. Donations to the RNLI will be collected along the route. Senior Coastal Ranger, Mike Taylor said, “We want to raise the profile of the Dee estuary, its industry, communities and wildlife in advance of the opening of the Wales Coastal Path next year and the opportunity to work on this project with Clinton could not be passed up!”
Coastal Rangers will support Clinton with publicity and transportation with special help from the Mostyn Estate who will provide forestry equipment to transport the canoe from start to finish.
Starting this week on Talacre beach the project will be located for a week at Llanerch y Mor, Greenfield Dock, Bettisfield (Bagillt), Flint Castle (RNLI Station), Connah’s Quay and two sites as yet to be determined. Clinton said, “I’m looking forward to meeting the communities along the Flintshire coastline and love the way this project reaches back in time to illustrate something that could have been the equivalent of today’s motor car. As a project this touches everyone’s imagination and the final launch into the river will be the result of a whole community’s input!”
Clinton will also be making special coastal path waymarkers for each site and paddles for the canoe. His other canoe projects can be viewed at Clinton challinor.co.uk/logboat.
Coastal rangers can be contacted at Wepre Park on 01244 814931 for more information. For further information about the project or to arrange a workshop with Clinton please contact Gwenno Jones, Arts, Culture and Events Manager, on 01352 702471.
