Museum and Art Swindon 3

I had a volunteer meeting this morning at the Art Gallery.

I absolutely love this big blue head. Children from a local school have sculpted their interpretations of it.


Sentinel Head
Patricia Volk (b.1951)

Patricia Volk is a Wiltshire-based artist, best-known for her striking abstract ceramic sculptures. Her works are full of energy, bold colour and movement.
This sculpture is an example of Volk's early work which was often figurative and symbolic. Much of this work explored religious or mythic themes and highlighted the multiple aspects of our internal and external identities. The use of rich colour echoes the vibrant colour and ornamentation traditionally used in classical Greek and Roman sculpture.
Volk has often spoken of her non-traditional route into professional art. She struggled at school with dyslexia, and as a single parent it wasn't until her thirties that she was able to apply to art college.
Since then, Volk has forged a highly successful career as a sculptor and is now a Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors. In 2019, she was elected to the Royal West of England Academy. She was recently commissioned to create an ident or logo for ITV.

PEACE
Reflections on Patricia Volk's artwork 'Sentinel Head' by year 5 pupils in Kestrel Class at Holy Rood Primary School.
This is a beautiful, bright-blue face with small, intricate black and white designs. It is smooth and colourful and I like the shape. The face is joyful. It makes me think of my cousin because she has very blue eyes. It could be a man or a woman. It could be any of us.
It makes me feel happy, calm and peaceful. It reminds me of bright blue sky on sunny days or the peace of the ocean. The person seems like they are asleep, meditating or thinking. The pattern looks like birds in the sky, leaves, flower petals or far-away stars and galaxies. The black and white design reminds me of a chess-board.
The sculpture makes me think of nature. If I owned this sculpture, I would put it in a garden. Looking at this sculpture is like watching dandelion seeds floating through the mountains in a blue sky.
This sculpture reminds us that everybody is unique. It helps us think about people all around the world - how we are all different and all the same. It reminds me of God because it shows that everyone is special and important in life. Something simple can be beautiful too. It is a perfect sculpture.
If I could re-name this, I would call it: 'The Blue Leaf Lady' or
'Skies of Peace'.