Glass “postcards from the past” will be preserved in a stunning new artwork as part of a unique community project.
The £6,000 artwork featuring ten A4 sized “postcards” will be created by children from Cestria Primary School in Chester-le- Street, Durham.
They will work with residents at The Elms, the new £6.5m extra care scheme in the town built by Cestria Community Housing, interpreting their memories and thoughts of the area and what it means to them.
The youngsters will then get the chance to visit Newcastle artist Sue Woolhouse, at her workshop in the Ouseburn Valley, where they will draw on their sessions with The Elms’ residents to create the designs ready to be transferred on to the glass panels.
Sue, a former freelance lecturer at Sunderland University, trained at the Royal College of Art in London and now specialises in designing and fabricating architectural glass Under her guidance, the children and residents will learn some of the skills needed to create the panels and actively take part in the process.
Once complete, local sculptor Neil Canavan will mount the postcards in a wooden carving. Neil creates both public and private commissions, often using objets trouvés, such as slate and driftwood, in his pieces.
Community development officer Lewis Rimington said: “This is an intergenerational project that will not only see residents of The Elms sharing some precious memories with the children, but also giving everyone involved
the chance to take part in a vibrant and exciting project, learning new skills along the way.
“After it’s finished the artwork will hang in pride of place in The Elms – a fantastic addition to the building.
“The Elms is a community hub and projects like this help us create strong links within that community.”