A SPECIAL day highlighting the art and environmental projects taking place at a Portland sculpture park has been declared a success.

Portland Sculpture & Quarry Trust recently held an open day alongside Dorset Wildlife Trust at Tout Quarry Sculpture Park and Nature Reserve.

Events also took place at Drill Hall and the wider Portland Quarries Nature Park.

There were a range of activities for people of all ages to get involved with throughout the day.

This included a mask making workshop under the guidance of artist Sarah Woodfine.

Participants were encouraged to explore dreams and landscapes using a selection of materials and take inspiration from artist Keir Smith, known for his ‘Dreaming Head and Estuary’ piece.

Representatives from Dorset Wildlife Trust led various walks, whilst sound installations and drawing sessions took place at Anthony Gormley’s life size figure ‘Still Falling’.

Hannah Sofaer led a ‘Memory Stone’ carving workshop, which was followed by the enactment of imagined encounters with architect Nicholas Hawksmoor, assistant to Christopher Wren, played by Simon Fraser of Absolute Theatre.

This was followed a short break where food was provided by Portland Fresh. The day was rounded off with audio recollections from some of Portland's residents, a series called 'Portland Stories’.

There was also a screening of an ongoing film project titled ‘Roy Dog’. This was performed in Tout Quarry by dance students from IPACA.

David Emmet, a trustee at Portland Sculpture & Quarry Trust, said: "It was a lovely day and we very much hope to be holding more such events in the near future.

"The quarries on Portland are such very special places for the arts, geology and ecology.

"It is also an honour and privilege to be able to carry on the tradition of the island's working histories, inspired by the architecture of Sir Christopher Wren, and Hawksmoor with young people using with this remarkable age-old stone in a creative new way.

"The children had a wonderful time making their masks and trying their hand at carving. Keir Smiths 'Dreaming Head and Estuary' sculpture provided a perfect touchstone, literally, to the day."

For further details about Portland Sculpture & Quarry Trust, please contact: Hannah Sofaer on 01305 826736 email: psqt@learningstone.org

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