Thursday, July 23, 2015

The Peace in the Trees Sculptural Walk journey

©2012 Art4place - Pins in place to break the stone
©2012 Art4place - Making monoliths
© 2012 Art4place - Craig Medson breaking stone the traditional way
The Peace in the Trees Sculptural Walk on the the Riverside Centre (town centre) end of the Maleny Trail (officially opened on 22 July) started its journey in 2012 as part of Art4place's Creative Spaces 2012. Craig Medson began the journey by securing and breaking Helidon sandstone (see above) in the shed at Maleny Retreat (thanks Maria and Wendy); and gently and expertly guiding 12 local artists in the creating of peace and environmental stone sculptures (check out the link and see photos below).  

©2012 Art4place - Monoliths ready for chisels and hammers in Maleny Retreat's shed


©2012 Art4place - Sculpting begins 


Earlier this year (2015) Art4place were granted funds by the Sunshine Coast Council to hire Wayne Markwort  to again work with the local artists to fines the works so that the could become part of the SCC's public art collection; and be installed on the Maleny Trail on the Maleny Precinct. The artists were pleased that another experienced local stone sculptor was able to assist them to add to their works two years on.

©2015 Art4place - Emma at work
©2015 Art4place - Katie at work
©2015 Art4place - Judy at work
©2015 Art4place - Vivienne at work
©2015 Art4place - Kim - Solace finished
Over a 12 month period Art4place has worked with Cllr Jenny McKay and Council art staff Ant McKenna and Julie Hauritz to transfer ownership of the sculptures to the SCC; and install them on the Maleny Trail walk.

There have been many many steps in the installation process. A big thank you to the installation team - mainly Rhyce Skodnik and Edith-Ann doing 'the heavy lifting' etc.

Selecting the location for each piece.



Soil testing and drawing engineered footings.

©2015 Art4place - Jeff from EBIS Engineering at work

Transporting the works from Maleny Retreat to the precinct.

©2015 Art4place - Beautiful bundles transported by Rhyce and Edith-Ann

Digging footing holes and surrounding them with security barriers.


Pouring the punch pads - foundations with reinforced steel.


Drilling the pieces and inserting reinforcing steel; craning the pieces into place; levelling them; and securing them.

©2015 Art4place - Rhyce and Edith-Ann preparing to crane Shh.. into plsace



Pouring the concrete footings and trowelling it smooth.


©2015 Art4place - Craig was there to make it all smooth
Covering the concrete footings with crushed sandstone.

©2015 Art4place - Reflection surrounded with crushed sandstone


And adding the signs to the individual pieces and the main story boards

©2015 Art4place - Stainless steel etched signs ready for installation
©2015 Art4place - Attaching the individual art it signs
©2015 Art4place - Attaching the Story boards - one at each end of the walk
The installation is complete. The next blog will feature all the pieces in place. And the journey will be complete when the Peace in the Trees Sculptural Walk is officially opened on 2 September 2015.