120 pupils were lucky enough to spend a whole day with Laurence Edwards - a Suffolk Sculpture.The day started with a question session and here are some of the fun facts he shared:
It took him 2 years to make the bronze giants that make the Creek Men.
He has been sculpting for 23 years.
He has made over 1,000 sculptures.
The Creek Men, including the barge they float on, weigh roughly 1 ¾ tonnes.
His smallest sculpture is his Grinning Man, the size of his finger… nail!
His favourite sculpture is one of his creek men, based on his eldest son (Simeon) when he slammed his face against concrete and eyes became swollen.
The main aim of the day was for the children to create a shared sculpture based on objects that mean something to each of us. Everybody brought in an object from home.
You can see the process in the photos below: our objects were pressed into clay, plaster was poured into the moulds and the plaster shapes were added to the body prepared by Mr Edwards. The final sculpture (called Laurence) now stands in our courtyard. We are all really pleased with the outcome. It was a privilege and a pleasure to work with Mr Edwards. We learnt a lot from him.Here are some poems written by year 6 children in response to Mr Edwards work:
See video below of children reading their poems:
The Creek Men
Bronze giants standing proud
not bothered by any grey cloud as
they dominate their stand
watching over the land.
Bronze giants standing proud
Their body burning
Everything’s turning
watching over the land .
Bronze giants standing proud
Their face like a ghost
They’ve got the most
Watching over the land.
Bronze giants standing proud
Their legs so broken they can’t be fixed
Now their all mixed
Watching over the land
Bronze giants standing proud
As the sun burns
their never gong to return
Watching over the land.
By Hollie Griffiths
Rotting sea corpses,
Held up high
By Deaths grip.
We are the Creek Men
Clothed by disease
Plants growing on us
Lifelessly watching you.
We are the Creek Men
Gods of the water
We rule the creek
Weeping silently.
We are the Creek Men.
Standing around
Dawn till dusk
Empowered by death.
We. Are. The. Creek Men
by Freddy Legg
Figures of the dark,
Sinister but entrancingly beautiful,
The kings of the water world rise up again.
Brooding soldiers full of mystery,
Mourning over their great loss of life,
The kings of the water world rise up again.
Developed from great dominators,
They are uncomfortable after wrenched from their watery grave,
The kings of the water world rise up again.
Tragic, devastating emperors,
Struggling to regain strength,
The kings of the water world rise up again.
by Izzy Brooks
See The Creek Men on Laurence Edward's website
