Water of Life - limited bronze editions

Lucy Gannon January 12, 2023

Restoring the ‘Water of Life’ sculpture in Chester Cathedral’s cloister garden, a much admired artwork completed in 1994.

“When I was finishing the installation all those years ago I was asked then if I was restoring it, and nearly thirty years later here we are, making it look new again.”

Offering new views of the well loved and familiar sculpture - looking up at the figures from below. The water feature depicts the encounter between Jesus and the Woman of Samaria, showing their shared bowl overflowing with water. The theme of water also suggests a link to how the Benedictine monks water supply was at the centre of the cloister garden.

We were also pleased to launch the sale of a limited edition maquette of this artwork, capturing the delicate details and texture alongside the beautiful interaction of the figures.

Visit the small works page - or get in touch with the studio for more information.

2022 Reflection

Lucy Gannon January 12, 2023

A SUMMARY OF THE YEAR - 2022

At our first studio gathering of 2023 I asked, ‘what did we actually achieve this last year?’ Prompting me to reflect on all the work completed and hopes going forward in this quick summary of the year.

I was quickly reminded of the wonderfully colourful X-Ray Specs, and installing them in Daresbury Sci-tech park in February in a snow storm. But the year had already began in earnest, with the rush to complete the foundry patterns for Chester Cathedral’s ‘Pilgrim Porch’ before the end of January. Chris Brammall was anxious to fabricate the sections that needed casting at Meighs foundry in Stoke, in time for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations over the spring bank holiday.

At the end of January, Lorraine & I were thrilled to travel to Maryland USA to attend the wedding of our youngest son Isaac to his beloved Lois. Happy Days!

In February, a series of public consultations were held in the five proposed locations of the Bosworth 1485 Sculpture Trail. Life-size mock-ups were erected with all of the many stakeholders in attendance.

Early June saw the celebrations of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The ‘Pilgrim Porch’ was successfully installed, and the doors hung just in time, a significant achievement by everyone involved, especially the team from CB Arts Ltd.

As part of this ambitious project an invitation had also been sent to every parish church and chaplaincy in the diocese of Chester, asking to contribute an image for a labyrinth design, to be encapsulated in the new glass doors. This mammoth task of curating 367 images was patiently undertaken by Lorraine & Lucy and completed with an image to represent each faithful community across the whole Diocese..

Also in June, we were pleased to finally install the first part of the RFA settings in Chatham docks, a project helping tell the story of this significant location. Incidental dockyard objects serve as seating and interpretive objects, celebrating the history of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

For a summer exhibition in St Boniface church in Bunbury, I exhibited ‘Broken Bow’ an artwork created some years ago, that I’d been keen to present in a new way. We plan to exhibit this piece again this year.

In August, we had the first opportunity to visit and photograph (without heras fencing) our 2 carved stone sculptures, which form part of the Manor Royal Arts & Heritage trail in Crawley. Entitled ‘Tommorrow’ & ‘Yesterday’, it was encouraging to see them looking at home in their environment, that provides a much welcomed green space to walk or take a break.

Early September we installed the final 12 ‘Walking Together’ figures. A memorial to the 106 men killed in mining disasters at Markham Colliery in Derbyshire. The completion of this deeply moving 10 year project was celebrated by the many volunteers and families involved, at an event on the 12 October.

Later in September Lorraine & I were pleased to invest time restoring the ‘Water of Life’ sculpture in Chester Cathedral’s cloister garden, a much admired artwork completed in 1994. When I was finishing the installation all those years ago I was asked then if I was restoring it, and nearly thirty years later here we are, making it look new again. We were also pleased to launch the sale of a limited edition maquette of this artwork.

Another artwork we felt privileged to restore this year was Arthur Dooley’s ‘Mandela’. This sculpture was lost for over 50 years, and created by Arthur when Mandela was more a wanted terrorist, than international statesman. We were also very pleased to help restore Arthur’s very dramatic ‘Splitting the Atom’ sculpture installed in Daresbury research centre in 1971.

Mandela

In November we installed ‘Living Landscapes’ a trail of 5 animal themed artworks in CityFields, Wakefield. Forged by Chris Brammall the corrugated animal shapes highlight the rich habitat of this post industrial green corridor.

Continuing the animal theme, Peter developed the initial maquettes for the much loved stone carved ‘sleeping animals’ in the ‘Apothecary’s Garden’ at UCLH Hospital London.

The year ended with days spent in the Darwen Terracotta factory, hand-pressing textile patterns into 45 bolts of fabric cast in clay. When fired & glazed they will form a series of 15 seating units, entitled ‘Global Patterns ’for the newly refurbished Rochdale Town Hall Square - watch this space.

So looking back, 2022 was a busy and productive year, and we are very thankful to all our partners and collaborators that enabled so much to happen. Let’s hope this coming year will be equally significant. We are especially looking forward to installing the terracotta seats in Rochdale and hopefully start to build the long awaited Bosworth 1485 sculpture trail.

Stephen Broadbent

Jan 2023

Moving Together - Flourishing - Limited Bronze

Lucy Gannon December 30, 2022

Revisiting this very special and significant limited edition bronze. The sculpture has an interactive element where the figures can rotate and interact with each other in different ways.

The Gestalt Prayer
I do my thing
and you do your thing.
I am not in this world
to live up to your expectations
And you are not in this world
to live up to mine.

You are you and I am I.
And if by chance
we find each other, it’s beautiful,
If not, it can’t be helped.
Fritz Perls (1893-1970)
Gestalt Therapy pioneer

This poem was selected by a dear friend, who bought an edition of this piece as a family heirloom from her late husband. We thought it really embodied the energy and interactions of the figures. A real celebration of two people journeying in this world together.

This limited edition is available for sale - please get in touch with the studio or visit the small works page.

Pilgrim Porch - Installation May 2022

Lucy Gannon October 12, 2022

The unbelievable task of installing the Pilgrim Porch in Chester Cathedral by our good friends CB Arts.

The porch sits significantly yet subtly in this incredible space. The materiality and imagery compliments the fabric of the Cathedral - allowing a new dialogue. A sense of it always being there was expressed by visitors.

Finished photos to follow. Visit Project Page for more information about the process.

The ceremonial doors were installed in time for the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations on June 3rd 2022 with a service of Thanksgiving in the Cathedral on the 2nd June. The full refurbishment of the setting is not yet complete with Jerusalem stone flooring and forged handrails to follow. However the Pilgrim’s porch was admired by people inside and outside the Cathedral.

“An innovative new architectural feature which champions accessibility and heritage has been installed at Chester Cathedral’s West Doors.

The Pilgrim Porch has been designed by the renowned sculptor, Stephen Broadbent. It comprises a shell-like patinated cast bronze arch set behind the medieval timber doors of the Cathedral’s Perpendicular Gothic West front.

Donald Insall Associates is proud to have initiated the design and implementation of the installation to coincide with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The bronze arch, hung with a pair of large and heavy laminated glass doors, is patterned with a labyrinth design composed of images of every church in the diocese of Chester. A digital installation in the cathedral will allow visitors to find out about all the churches represented in Stephen Broadbent’s labyrinth.”

— The Standard

https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/20190281.stunning-new-entrance-completed-chester-cathedral/

Walking Together - Memorial

Lucy Gannon October 10, 2022

The #WalkingTogether memorial will be completed upon the installation of the remaining 13 figures representing the following men who lost their lives in the 1938 disaster.

https://markhamstorymine.org/?fbclid=IwAR3RL691oZQkCsiaRbOgOMiyA1gw_1i5ihxwcTJRojMX2tnhA5w8ZBN8ToQ

Over the past few months Derbyshire-based photographer David John King has been busy behind the scenes capturing photos and video of all the #WalkingTogether activity to create a short film about the project as it reaches the conclusion of a 10 year journey. David will also be capturing new oral histories for https://markhamstorymine.org Here's a few photos of the final figures being installed. Supported by @HeritageFundUK
Kate Watson

Walking Together mining memorial: Markham Vale Heritage Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/769870329844412/

WALKING TOGETHER EVENT - THURSDAY 13th OCTOBER AT 1 PM – 4:30 PM

Please drop in the Markham Vale Environment Centre between 1-4.30.
You will be able to view the work of schools and community members created as part of the ‘10 Years of Walking Together’ engagement project, have refreshments at the Centre and meet with others interested in the trail and Markham’s mining heritage. You will then be able to walk the trail at your leisure. You do not need to book for this event. Markham Vale Environment Centre, Markham Lane, Chesterfield, S44 5HY

In 2012 Broadbent studio was appointed to create a unique artwork to remember the 106 miners who died in the major disasters of 1937,38 & 73 at Markham Colliery.

Our aim was to create a living memorial to remember Markham Vale's three significant mining disasters, and to celebrate and acknowledge the Miners themselves.

The memorial takes the form of 106 larger than life size steel figures, stretching between the village of Duckmanton and the former pit head of Markham Colliery.

This walking trail of figures symbolises a miner’s journey to the pit and back home again. The artwork will boldly cut through this dramatic industrial landscape creating a ‘desire line’ for visitors to re-imagine and remember the lives of all miners, in particular those who lost their lives for their work.

The 53 figures walking home after a shift underground will have a darker finish on the steel, compared to the 53 brighter figures walking to the pit to start a shift.

The people, supporters, sponsors have owned this project and allowed it to grow. As demonstrated by the active community and facebook group - it is an honour and privilege to have worked on this memorial for the past 10 years - and to see and experience the wider legacy for the project.

Arthur Dooley - Splitting the Atom

Lucy Gannon October 2, 2022

Restoring Splitting the Atom - Arthur Dooley’s sculpture at Daresbury Laboratory @scitechdaresbury from 1970. A piece close to our hearts. We still believe there is a magic relationship between art & science.

Read full blog about the piece and its scientific links from UKRI - UK research & Innovation;

https://www.ukri.org/blog/bringing-scientific-sculpture-back-to-life/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Orlo&utm_content=STFC+-+Daresbury+Lab+content.

Artist Arthur Dooley (in the hat in the background) with a TV documentary crew at Daresbury Laboratory in the 1970s. Pictured in the foreground in white shoes is artist Stephen Broadbent who has worked on the sculpture restoration. Credit: STFC

Captured by Paul Aden

“Art is a powerful tool for us to bring science to a wider audience, so it is important that the Arthur Dooley sculpture is here for many more years.

The work that Stephen and his team have done has brought it back to life, ensuring that staff and visitors can enjoy it fully now and I am delighted with Stephen’s support and contribution.

It seems especially fitting as it is Daresbury Laboratory’s 60th year, so the restoration is part of that story now as well.”

— Stu Buxton, STFC Regional Head of Estates and Facilities (North)

Imagery created for the vision document for the Linear Light Gardens proposal - highlighting this Dooley piece was a central conceptual catalyst for the artworks at Daresbury.

https://broadbent.studio/daresbury

The creation of a linear park, with a pathway that leads you through a story of science crafted in glass, stone and steel and integrated into a shaped landscape. It is a ‘pathway of progress’ as you walk out from the heart of the science park with five feature gardens. It is a welcoming ‘gateway into wonderland’ when you arrive at the park.

City Fields - Wakefield - Concept document

Lucy Gannon September 9, 2022

Artist Statement

We are an art and design studio that has demonstrated the role art plays as part of the built environment, and how it works with the rest of its surroundings to create a sense of place, which is the challenge faced by City Fields, as this new community starts to inhabit this former industrial area.

This is nothing new, as throughout history, wherever people have chosen to build a settlement, they have also crafted something of their own lives, their story or aspiration - a narrative perhaps fashioned in stone, metal and glass or acted out in the market or harbour place.

We always feel privileged to be invited into places built over generations, to help rediscover or re-invent something of their collective story. The City Fields story may feel it is just starting but of course it builds on an older narrative, that reveals the patterns and routines of people’s lives and presents a unique natural environment built by it.

Following initial research we have seen something that particularly stands out in our minds and prompts us to explore further. This is how the ecology of the area has adapted to this industrial landscape, inhabiting man-made green corridors such as the railway and canal, and the watercourses created by collapsed mines.

We are particularly intrigued by the concept of green corridors, and would be keen to explore how this could be expressed visually.

Green corridors are a meeting point for diverse groups of flora and fauna, whether they are corridor dwellers or passage users. They are vital refuges for biodiversity in the urban landscape and also important spaces for our own recreation and wellbeing, including our education in ecology.

Making the commission

After the development stage, the City Fields animals where fabricated in Ulverston at CB Arts and currently waiting to be installed after a series of delays. We cannot wait to see the colourful animals within this post industrial landscape. Look out for installation soon.

Stephen Broadbent and Chris Brammall at CB Arts looking at the City Fields piece in their workshop.

Future vision Specs bespoke seating installed at Sci-Tech Daresbury campus

Lucy Gannon September 9, 2022

Future vision Specs bespoke seating installed at Sci-Tech Daresbury campus

A photo of the 3 scaled up carved animals on a large block of stone

Making the animals for the Apothecary's Garden - UCLH

Lucy Gannon September 1, 2022

We are looking at locally sourced stone rather than an imported option. With regard to colour & texture, we looked for a good contrast with both the planting and the granite of the planter wall. The durability of the stone is also a consideration and also its ease of cleaning, suggesting a more polished finish. The final choice of stone was made in consultation with the Hospital Trust.

The Stone Animals

Working with our good friend Stone carver Adrian Wright - and his ability to capture the essence of the sleeping animals within the stone.

Installation of the sleeping animals in the Apothecary’s Garden at UCLH - November 2020

The Duck

The Fox

Artist Impression

Concept visual

Pilgrim Porch

Lucy Gannon March 1, 2022

A new window into the Cathedral.

Contribute to a diocesan wide art project.

The design of a sculptural bronze porch with ceremonial glass doors for the west end of Chester Cathedral will be unveiled in 2022 as part of the Queen’s platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The artwork within the glass will encapsulate a significant and meaningful photograph of a particular element from your church

Our vision is to include every single church in the diocese.

“Bishop Mark says: “It is relatively rare that an artist is commissioned to create a new permanent fixture for the interior of a medieval Cathedral.

Once completed our medieval west doors will be open and passers-by will be able to glimpse through the beautiful glass doors into the Cathedral and down the nave to the quire at the heart of the Cathedral. The porch will open the Cathedral to the city, inviting those outside in to explore further our beautiful Cathedral and discover the community that can be found inside.”

— https://www.chester.anglican.org/news/every-church-invited-to-contribute-to-new-jubilee-artwork.php

Find out more about the process

Alder Hey Children's charity Brighter Futures Auction

Lucy Gannon February 10, 2022

RECONCILIATION SCULPTURE

https://live.adampartridge.co.uk/m/view-auctions/catalog/id/290?page=2

Stephen has donated one of our most loved and significant Limited Editions for this good cause, close to our heart.

The piece is from a significant project starting in 1989. A positive and hopeful symbol, Reconciliation grew from the expression of an individual desire for reconciliation, to a project that spanned and linked the cities of Belfast, Glasgow and Liverpool. https://broadbent.studio/reconciliation

The project then developed to form a reconciliation triangle between Liverpool, Benin and Richmond Virginia,

https://broadbent.studio/casestudies#/reconciliation-triangle-casestudy/

The Apothecary's Garden - The things of this world

Lucy Gannon February 2, 2022

Proposal for the UCLH Garden

CONCEPT

To undergo Proton Beam Therapy is to leave for a moment the familiar world. The patient enters a hi-tech environment so alien to their everyday experience they might as well be an astronaut on a mission to Mars.

Afterwards, it is as though they re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and have to reacquaint themselves with the things of this world. In this somewhat shell-shocked spirit they find the Apothecary’s Garden.

The Apothecary’s Garden is a place of healing. It is a haven of peace after Proton Beam Therapy and it contains plants from which to make medicine. But its greatest potential to heal lies in the fact it is a garden. A garden in which there are things like plants to help the patient remember the world they know.

We would like to build on this idea and bring a little more of the natural world around us into this place. Plants belong with animals, and we have in mind a series of animal sculptures carved in stone and set into the wall of each planter. We hope, through the familiarity of our chosen animals and a softness in the design of our sculptures, to enhance the soothing and therapeutic effect of the Apothecary’s Garden.

We would love to develop a series of hand hold pieces - celebrating the tactile nature of these sleeping animals.

More information about how this project developed to follow.

Moving Bradford Pit Memorial long awaited unveiling

Lucy Gannon September 10, 2021

On 5th September 2021 the Bradford Pit Memorial had a significant community unveiling.

Go to Project page

The memorial will continue to have a community focus - as the piece will hopefully become that signpost to the wider project, linking to aural histories and the legacy of the miners, and mining community. Broadbent Studio has felt privileged to be on this journey with Lauren and the miners group in realising their vision for a physical memorial.

For community involvement see the facebook group and website.

https://www.facebook.com/bradfordpitmemorial

https://bradfordpit.com/

Ongoing Projects : Becoming Visible

Lucy Gannon November 1, 2020

We try to keep you updated on our exciting projects and new ventures through social media.

There are also some projects that we are trying to make happen.

See our vision document for a new project entitled; Becoming Visible.

On 20th November 2019 we took part in activities hosted at St George’s Hall, Liverpool for UNICEF World Children’s Day. See full vision document .

BECOMING VISIBLE IS A PUBLIC ART PROPOSAL THAT ANSWERS THREE CALLS:

The call to erect a beacon to the Rights of the Child
The call to create a grown-up public space for children
The call to involve children in public life

Available to buy : Longing & Enveloped

Lucy Gannon June 1, 2019

These two limited edition bronze birds were created and exhibited as part of the annual Sandstone Ridge Festival, Cheshire, May 2019.

Visit Small Works page for more detail or get in touch with the studio.

MAKING

Stephen in studio working on the patina and finish for the birds.

The Eudaemonium hidden bookcase

Lucy Gannon January 24, 2019

The Eudaemonium project would also like your input - for more information see the project page.

WHAT IS THE EUDAEMONIUM?

A living sculptural book that grows as people contribute to it.

The Eudaemonium stands in the square as a symbol of a community’s hidden treasure and acts as a physical marker within the landscape to encourage people to collect and share routes to well-being with one-another.

There is a hidden locked bookcase built within the spine of the sculpture, which houses the compendium of recipes and remedies or routes to well-being.