Tyrebagger Forest Sculpture Trail – Aberdeen – ‘Bison’ Sculptures
The image is from a photograph collection that was originally stored at Kincardine Forest District. Tyrebagger is one of the Forestry Commission forest areas adjacent to the long established Kirkhill Forest on the outskirts of Aberdeen.
The sculpture trail began life in around 1992 and continued into the mid part of the first decade of the 2000s. Opportunities for new funding decreased and only the more robust sculptures were retained in place through to the 2020s. Under the chairmanship of Graham Hamilton, Forestry Commission Regional Director North Scotland, a company limited by guarantee, the Tyrebagger Trust Company, was formed to manage the project. The partners were Forest Enterprise (Forestry Commission) and Aberdeen City Council. Initial finance was provided by the Scottish Arts Council. Art in Partnership, an Edinburgh based company led by Robert Breen, was charged with advising, commissioning, and installing the artworks. Graham resigned the role of Chair in 2003 and in fact had retired from the Forestry Commission six years previously. Sandy Sandilands, Kincardine Forest District Manager, ably managed the ground work and access arrangements with the artists and Geoff Tudor of Aberdeen City Council made a valuable contribution as treasurer of the project.
Sally Matthews at work on one of her group of iconic ‘Bison’ constructions. Sally writes: ‘I had visited the Highland Wildlife Park to study European Bison and had made Bison for exhibition before. My work tries to make animals so the onlooker initially sees the real animal and not art. So I was excited to be asked to make something for Tyrebagger and knew instantly that I would make Bison. The Bison at Tyrebagger were made on a steel and chicken wire frame with found wooden shoulders, horns and possibly hips and ribs to emphasis the form. The body was filled out with brash and coir fibre (to preserve peat) and forest floor mixed with pva glue, which was sprayed with a waterproofer to slightly lengthen their lifespan. Dark sheep’s wool was then thrown over their shoulders and pushed into some areas to echo their thick coat.’
See the PDF below for more views of work in progress and of her other herd figures.
Download Large Version (671kB)
Groups: Forestry Areas, Northeast Scotland , Recreation Activities and Art in the Forest