Art for all: Sculpture by the lakes

Sculpture by the Lakes, at Pallington near Dorchester, has launched its first exhibition called DRAWN, running until December 16. 

The exhibition will be displayed in The Gallery, a new airy building designed to complement its tranquil lakeside location.

It features drawings from a line-up of international artists, some of whom have never exhibited in the UK before.

Artists’ works vary from Zoey Frank of the USA with her soft portraits of human sitters to Italian artist Giorgia Oldano with her pencil drawings of wildlife.

Sculpture by the Lakes owner Simon Gudgeon said he wants to build on the 26-acre park’s success.
Simon and his wife Monique moved to Dorset from Wiltshire and fell in love with Pallington Lakes, a former fishery business, which they decided to buy to build a sculpture park on.

He said: “We’re rated number one for Dorchester on TripAdvisor and the reviews have been fantastic.
“We’ve become busier with more visitors and we want to have a good exhibition programme.”

It is hoped that at least three exhibitions will be held at The Gallery each year.

Sculptor Simon, who is best known for his Isis sculpture in Hyde Park, London, said: “Once we open new spaces it evolves and we can start doing different things.

“I wanted to exhibit some 2D work as well as sculpture. We wanted to represent other artists and bring them to the UK.”

Simon has visited all of the studios of the international artists featured in DRAWN.

He said: “If you are just representing artists from Dorset it doesn’t work.
“I’ve travelled a lot with exhibitions and have exhibited in the US.
“We’ve planned this exhibition a year ahead. The art is all being shipped over and we do the framing here.”

Since its opening in 2011, Sculpture by the Lakes has gone from strength to strength.

It recently won the award for Small Visitor Attraction of the year at the Dorset Tourism Awards.
Simon said: “When we opened we weren’t sure at all what the response was going to be. My wife looks after the gardens and we decided to meld formal gardens with very wild areas.

“When we first opened the gates we charged £5 with money going to Help for Heroes. It started off busy and got busier and busier every day. There were just more and more people. They were getting their phones out and saying ‘get down here, you have to see this’.”

Simon said people shouldn’t feel intimidated about not understanding sculpture. “The response from people is unique. 

“What we do is unique and we encourage people to take their time and stay here and experience the art. At an art gallery you are always being asked to move along. We encourage people to bring a picnic, arrive when we open at 11am and stay for the day.

“People leave their busy lives behind and come and absorb it.”

The park, which contains 9,000 trees, shrubs, bulbs and perennials, also has a river keeper’s hut sited alongside the River Frome which is available to hire for the day. An iPhone app has been developed to help people find out more about the sculptures, part of Simon’s plans for art to be as accessible as possible, he said.

He added: “My views on contemporary art and conceptual art are that is has alienated swathes of the public.

“It relies on unjustifiable descriptions to explain the art. People are made to feel stupid and they think ‘I’m stupid, I can’t understand art.

“Some people come along to the park and say they have been alienated by art and I tell them they don’t have to understand it.

“Art should have an emotional reception. You should look at it and feel something.

“For me sculpture has got to be beautiful and on a deeper level it has to connect with the viewer.”

DRAWN runs until December 16. Admission to the exhibition is free but admission to the sculpture park is £5 per person during the winter. The park at Pallington Lakes, Pallington, DT2 8QU, is open every day except Sunday from 11am to 5pm. No children under 14 or dogs are admitted. 
See www.sculpturebythelakes.co.uk