"Horseplay" 2008 Aughrim National School, Co. Wicklow

"Horseplay" 2008

Aughrim National School, Co. Wicklow. Approx 1m x 0.6m x 1m, cast & welded bronze

This artwork was commissioned by the County Wicklow Arts Office as part of the Per Cent for Art programme. This was a collaborative project with fellow sculptor Niall O'Neill. The project focussed on the translation of the town name Aughrim, as "horse ridge" or "back of the horse" in Irish.

We worked closely with the staff & students at Aughrim National School, presenting workshops and demonstrations on the full bronze casting process so as to get everyone excited about the project. The students were introduced to the horse as an image through art history, and they also worked on school projects on the theme of local place names. The students were encouraged to do their own drawings of horses, which we then showed them how to turn into small wax horses. Niall & I took the resulting wax horses (over 200) and cast them in bronze. We then welded the bronzes to create a sculpture suitable for the school, a stylized rocking horse.

Image Details

  • Artist, staff & children with sculpture
  • Collage of workshops & casting demonstrations
  • "Horseplay"
  • View of sculpture in front of school