2018 has been an enormous year of remembrance across the country. Arts, archive and community projects have captured the thoughts of the nation. Victoria was commissioned by the Woodland Trust to create a willow wreath installation for the month of remembrance as part of the Remembrance Trail in Langley Vale wood.
The remembrance exhortation was the starting point for Victoria ‘s concept which uses the exhortation as it’s physical foundation. It is featured on the ends of 11 logs which support the large willow wreath. The 11 logs represent the 11th day of the 11th month and connect the willow wreath to the earth, giving it a sense of place and weight within Langley Vale Wood.
Victoria was moved by the process of weaving this piece of work, the many thousands of withies which were repeatedly woven into the sculpture and acted as a reminder of each individual who was involved in the conflict. The opportunity to gather stories and memories of the public was the element that bought the piece to life.
The Langley Vale Commemoration Wreath is a willow sculpture created for the Commemoration Trail to gather memories and stories of WW1. A local reenactment society as well as local school took part in the 11th Nov remembrance at Langley Vale wood .
Artist Victoria Westaway pyrographed the Commemoration Exhortation onto 11 logs which supported the willow wreath remembrance sculpture. This project was part of the Woodland Trust Month of Remembrance at Langley Vale Wood.
The Commemoration Wreath standing in the November sunshine. This piece of sculpture was commissioned by the Woodland Trust with support from Sainsbury’s to mark the Month of Remembrance at Langley Vale Commemoration Wood.
The willow wreath sculpture was positioned in at the halfway point of the Langley Vale remembrance trail. It offered visitors a chance to write down their thoughts and reflections and attach them onto the wreath.
Detail of the willow sculpture was used to collect thoughts and reflections of visitors regarding WW1. Langley Vale in Surrey was used for preparing the troops with gas training exercises.
Visitors of all ages visited the Remembrance Trail at Langley Vale Wood. Victoria designed the wreath to gather memories and reflections. Families were encouraged to find natural materials on trail and weave them into the wreath.
Victoria Westaway Willow Artist and Sculptor created a new piece of woodland sculpture for Surrey’s Langley Vale Wood. This new wood has been created by the Woodland Trust. Victoria was commissioned to create a piece of work that offered visitors a place to reflect of the conflict of WW1, she designed a wreath that was supported by 11 logs onto which was pyrographed the Commemoration Exhortation.
During the month of November many visitors experienced the Woodland Remembrance Trail at Langley Vale Wood in Surrey. The willow wreath sculpture was created to gather thoughts and memories of visitors to the woods. The sculpture created by Victoria Westaway was woven with thousands of withies grown on the Somerset levels
Willow Sculptor Victoria Westaway was delighted to work with The Woodland Trust to deliver a piece of work for the Langley Vale Commemoration Wood. Victoria’s concept was to create a woven willow wreath which was cradled by 11 logs representing the 11th day of the 11th month.
It was a gorgeous, sunny November day when Victoria installed the Langley Vale Commemoration Wreath to its new home near Epsom. This piece of work commissioned by The Woodland Trust in Surrey offered a chance for visitors to the remembrance trail to write down reflections and thoughts of the conflict of WW1.
This relatively young woodland near Epsom Surrey is a Commemoration wood which offers a place for quiet reflection. The centenary wood has areas of ancient woodland and stunning views of the South Downs. Langley Vale is a First World War centenary wood which has links to the Great War during the conflict it was used as a base for military exercises and a gas training school. The Woodland Trust were looking for a piece of work which acted as a halfway resting point to the heritage trail where visible could pause and reflect. The willow wreath sculpture was used to gather personal stories and reflections, visitors were encouraged to write down their thoughts onto wooden leaves which were then threaded onto the wreath. Another element of engaging the public was to give them a chance to gather natural materials from around the wood and weave them into the willow wreath.
The Woodland Trust are hoping to position the remembrance Willow wreath in a permanent position as the woodland develops and other pieces of artwork are added to the Langley Vale Wood.
Langley Vale Centenary Wood