In The News
CHESTERFIELD ARTIST COMBINES ART WITH ENGINEERING TO CREATE GARDEN PARADISE
15/04/08
A Chesterfield artist has achieved a glittering career by combining his love of art with metal work.
A Chesterfield artist who has achieved a glittering career by combining his love of art with metal work is causing a stir with the unveiling of his latest creation.
John Packer’s 'vertical gardens' sculptures are located on London Road in Derby City Centre and were commissioned by Westfield Derby shopping centre. They consist of five large metal towers each measuring six metres each. Each column has been filled with seeds to attract insects, butterflies and small birds and create a garden paradise for shoppers and passers-by to enjoy.
The commission is the highlight of a career based on John’s love for art and engineering. He jokes: “They are not easy bedfellows – in fact I must be the only person in the history of Chesterfield College to have studied A-levels in Maths, Physics and Art!”
The artist, who now lives in Bristol, grew up in Chesterfield and resided at the Rectory of Newbold Church where his mother was a housekeeper for the Rector. After finishing his A-levels, John began to focus on his love for combining art and engineering and studied an Art and Design foundation course at Chesterfield College of Technology and Art.
While the 41 year old has spend much of his career in the south west he couldn’t resist returning to his Derbyshire roots when he heard that Westfield Derby were teaming up with Derby City Council to commission a new piece of public art for the city centre.
The judges were flooded with proposals and John was one of four artists short-listed and commissioned to create an initial concept.
John said “It took a few weeks of thinking, dreaming and researching before coming up with the concept.
“I spent time walking up and down the streets of Derby to get a sense of what was needed. The wilderness of the Peak District was my primary inspiration and I tried to create a piece that brought a bit of the Peak District into the centre of Derby, The plants are those typically found growing on cliffs in the Peaks and the columns are filled with rock types found in Derbyshire.”
Mr Packer worked with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to ensure the correct types of plants and bird boxes were included in the sculptures.
He said: "This isn't just about creating an attractive sculpture, these vertical gardens will provide a much needed habitat for some of Derby’s most treasured birds and insects. I'm so pleased with the result and proud to have made this important contribution to my home county."
Janine Bone, Westfield Derby Centre Manager, said: “We chose John’s work because it really stood out. We loved the concept and visually the sculptures are incredibly striking and have become a real talking point for our shoppers.
“Though initially, only the metal structures will really be visible but the five towers will be transformed into vertical gardens once the plants start to mature over the next two years.”
John is already busy on his next project-creating an 18 metre sculptural footbridge over the river Rhymney in Caerphilly, South Wales.
For more information about the vertical gardens visit westfield.com\derby.
ENDS