THE COMMUNITY TREE
Nature and community, textile art & graffiti, a new community project in Newton Abbot with Joe Webster (aka EnuF) and Catherine West (Significant Seams)
A new 12-metre high mural being planned for Golden Lion Square in Newton Abbot is inspired by a giant oak tree which was felled in 1922 to make way for the war memorial at the end of Queen Street. At the time, the loss of the tree caused a large public outcry, illustrating how important nature, natural spaces and iconic trees can be to a community.
Over the next month, we invite everyone to contribute to this artwork by offering stories, photos and memories of your favourite and meaningful trees within the town.
Contributions in the form of words and phrases will be painted into the mural.
Joe Webster aka EnuF uses the practices of ‘tagging,’ from street art and graffiti culture, to represent the many voices and feelings of a community, and sometimes, our pollution of a place. 5,000 leaflets (printed on environmentally responsible paper by Hedgerow Printers – who use environmentally friendly inks) are being distributed around Newton Abbot. They include a section for people to fill out and contribute their suggested words in their own handwriting.
Completed forms can be returned to any of five locations around Newton Abbot with giant graffiti painted birdboxes. Volunteers at Newton Abbot Community Shed have designed and made the birdboxes and EnuF is painting them in his signature style. The locations are the site of the mural, Newton Abbot Library, No Limits Cafe, Ford Park, and Newton Abbot Museum.
Significant Seams’ artist Catherine West is working with EnuF to offer a varied series of creative workshops that support people to think about the questions of the project, better understand the meaning of graffiti in this project, and connect with their own artistic inclinations.
Specialised workshops are being delivered with Newton Abbot Youth Council, Devon Carers and the project will lead Newton Abbot Museum’s October Family Day programme. Additionally, the project has a number events open to the public on either a bookable or drop-in basis:
Meet the Artists (Drop-in) 31 October, Plaza in front of the mural, in front of the Library 10-12
Freestyle Patchwork, Booking essential, FREE to attend
7 November, 2:30-4:30 pm, Newton Abbot Library, TQ12 2RJ
Graffiti Embroidery, Booking essential, FREE to attend
7 November, 6:30-8:30pm, Newton Abbot Library, TQ12 2RJ
The Newton Abbot community is invited/challenged to share photos on instagram which explore nature, or human interactions with nature in and around the town. Please use the hashtags #newtonabbotcommunitytree @joewebsterart @sigSeams so we can admire your photos!
The project has been co-developed by Joe Webster | EnuF, Action on Climate in Teignbridge, Rotary, Newton Abbot, and Significant Seams. It is being made possible by Leveling Up Funding and Teignbridge Council with supplemental support from a wide range of local groups and organisations.
Download the project leaflet as a printable pdf HERE.
The images in the leaflet reflect the ever-evolving ‘seasons’ of this project and the collaborative work of the project artists and community partners to date. We look forward to your contributions helping shape the final artwork!
Host a Workshop
We encourage you to faciliate a conversation via a creative activity with your group, school or club.
If you do, please use this feedback form to collect your participants experience – and email us at catherine(@)significantseams.org.uk to tell us about your session.
If you are interested for us to help you get involved, please be in touch, noting this would be subject to a fee. Our free programme is now fixed.