The Development of CRUCK ARCH 1 - MEDIEVAL WOMAN



The elevation drawings front and side views of Cruck Arch 1r s



SLIDESHOWS FOLLOWED BY A GALLERY - SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW

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SLIDE SHOW 1

Carving and constructing the oak for Arch 1

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Oak collected by Damon Bramley from Devereux Park, woodland near Woolhope, Herefordshire.




Oak collected for Arch 1 by Damon Bramley from
Devereux Park.



Work in progress of the cat and head.



Carved Cat post for seat.



Head for Arch 1 roughed out - Diane will be making a bronze mask of the medieval woman's face to fit the wood. In the background is the Owl post for the seat for Arch 2. Phil has drawn the owl to work out how the form will fit the wood.


This fallen section from an Oak near our studio was suitable for Arch 1.


Cutting out the arch sections from the Coalway fallen branch.


Constructing the arch.


Constructing the arch.


Arch drawing shown with clay mask, wood carved cat and bronze shoe.


Rat carving on the arch.


Rat and Owl carvings on the arch.


Sparrow Hawk hunting, carving on the arch.


Phil starts the relief carving (based on Diane's drawing) for the arch.


The back of the Arch Seat - low relief carving + extra apple and the start of the lettering based on a local song round.


The back of the Arch Seat with mouse.


If the wood is sound, this Oak tree blown down in the February storms 2020, in Lydney Park Estate, will hopefully provide the oak for Arches 2 and 3.


Assembling the seat, at this stage it's resting on wood blocks. It will be fitted to the Arch when it's all completed..


Cat on the seat post.


Tie Beam for the Arch with the Banbury Shepherd's weather words.


About to start attaching the stainless steel fixings, fixings fabricated at PJ Engineering.


Scaffolding being set up by Scaffolding 2000 Ltd, to enable the construction of the first Arch.


Phil has set up the arch to work on details, a temporary block at the apex is used - the block with the Medieval Woman's head, and the Three Hares will be fixed onto the arch shortly before it is transported to be installed. Scaffold by Scaffolding 2000 Ltd.


Details of a section of the lettering and the Hawk.


Direction letter.


Rat, Owl and tile design.


Assembling some of the elements of Arch 1.
Scaffold by Scaffolding 2000 Ltd.


Stainless Steel fixings ( made by PJ Engineering) fixed into the oak.


Measuring the placement of the fixings for their position on the below ground concrete bases in Hanwell View.


Working out the angle, using a maquette, that the Arch needs to sit at for transporting the work, for Phil to build a frame to support it.


Working out the angle, using a maquette, that the Arch needs to sit at for transporting the work, for Phil to build a frame to support it.


The wood ready for Phil to made the supporting framework to transport this arch.



Another view of the supporting framework.


Closer view of the top of the arch.


The rat has a hawk as well as an owl to contend with!



The Arch was transported to Hanwell View, Banbury, on the 29th September 2020 by Damon and Max Bramley and installed with Phil - all socially distancing!


The fencing will be removed and the soil and turf replaced. Through the Arch the Horse sculpture, now weathered silver, can be seen. The Arch will also turn silver over time.


The Banbury Shepherd's weather saying carved on the tie beam. The Three hare are an eternal symbol shared by many cultures.


The Medieval Woman was a widow so could run her business making and selling ale, Banbury Cheese and cakes. The site was a deserted Medieval Village - hence the plague rat under the beam.


The Medieval Woman"s Ach 1 . Two more arches to come. Work already started on the Farmer Salmon - Arch 2....


The Medieval Woman"s Ach 1 without the protective fencing placed during installation . Photo credit - Paula Bailey, Cherwell District Council's Arts Officer.


SLIDE SHOW 2​

Making a Medieval Shoe, Mask and Hares for bronze

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Wax melted in a slow cooker and ladled onto a tin baking tray covered in cling film, to make wax sheet. The Medieval Shoe's sole drawn with a felt tip onto wax sheet, and cut out with a metal modelling tool - made hot in a flame from a gas burner or candle.



Sections of the wax sheet warmed in a bowl of hot water - just bearable to the touch. This makes the wax soft and easy to model,
sections welded together with the hot blade.




Finished wax shoe.








The finished shoe looks scratchy so...








All the wax shoes are rubbed with wire wool and white spirit. The next stage is to take the shoes to the foundry to be cast into bronze.
The method of casting the shoes into bronze can be seen here, illustrated on our website for a community shoes project.


The shoe cast into bronze.




Early stage of making the clay of the medieval woman's mask.




The finished clay of the medieval woman's mask.




The finished clay of the medieval woman's mask.




The finished clay of the medieval woman's mask.




The finished clay of the medieval woman's mask.




Dorota Rapacz made the mould of the mask. This photograph shows her putting shims in around the edge of the finished clay. Dorota is a sculptor and mould maker, see her website page on farOpen.


Dorota put a runny layer of silicone on the clay mask to capture all the detail.


The mask with the 2nd thicker silicone layer, with the mould locators to fix the silicone to the jesmonite jacket.


Dorota put the jesmonite on over the silicone, to create a supporting jacket for the mask's mould.


The finished mould with added fibre glass.



Phil holding the wax mask in position on the King post, the wimple will be carved to shape and clad in sheet copper. The mask has been cast into bronze by Castle Fine Arts Foundry.



Phil carved the wood to fit the bronze mask.



The bronze mask held in place before it is permanently fixed to the oak.



Diane's direct plaster work in progress, on the Hare. Dorota made a mould from the plaster and Diane cast three Hares in wax.


Work in progress on the wax Hares, two are changed to make them fit the arch. They are made larger as they will shrink in the bronze.


The template of the arch space that the bronze Hares will occupy.


The bronze Hares labeled


Three bronze Hares ready for bronze casting.


Phil removed the bronze mask whilst carving the Medieval Woman's Headdress. This will then be covered with copper.


After Phil removed the bronze mask to carve the Medieval Woman's Headdress, he discovered the oak had turned the inside of the mask turquoise.



The turquoise patina inside of the mask, it brushes off, and Phil will then wax the interior of the mask before permanently fixing it.



Checking the fit of the Medieval Woman's mask on the oak.


Fitting the Medieval Woman's mask on the oak arch, and the Three Hares - before they are patinated a similar colour to the mask.


Three Hares - being patinated a similar colour to the mask by Phil who works at Castle Fine Arts Foundry.


Three Hares - patinated and ready to go.


The Medieval Woman with completed headdress.


The Medieval Woman with completed headdress.


GALLERY OF DRAWINGS

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Initial drawings showing details of Cruck Arch 1.



A relief design to be carved into the back of the seat to show
Banbury cakes, a cheese and ale.



A medieval tile design which will be carved in a
band around the sides of the Cruck Arch



A medieval shoe made in wax and then cast in bronze. Shoes were often found in old houses to ward off evil. This one is fixed to the tie beam of the arch.


ARTIST LAYOUT