Blue Reef Aquarium's Anna Etchells Wants You To See World Ocean's Day Sculpture

By Drew Cunliffe

Tynemouth, UK - Local artist Lorraine Clay enlisted the help of visitors to the Blue Reef Aquarium in Tynemouth to create a marine-themed sculpture based on the subject of conservation.

The work was created to celebrate World Oceans Day earlier this month and has now gone on display in the aquarium’s education room.

Lorraine asked visitors to make small individual fish out of clay. She then used these to create the sculptures which are designed to look like giant shoals of fish swirling together.

Blue Reef’s Anna Etchells said: “Lorraine’s workshop at the aquarium was hugely popular. She really managed to get visitors enthused with about the subject and we’re all delighted with the finished artwork.

“She’s been a regular visitor to the aquarium over the years and has a great love of nature, the marine world and the local coastline so this was an ideal venue for her project,” she added.

Lorraine grew up in Forest Hall and used to make weekly trips to North Shields to visit her grandmother. During the school holidays she remembers taking the train to the beach and swimming in the sea at Whitley Bay.

She started studying ceramics at evening class in 1993 and was immediately hooked, converting her kitchen into a makeshift studio.

“In 2002 I left the office and took proper studio space in a castle basement; I now have one in a converted cow byre in Allendale,” she said.

“I find teaching fun and a great source of inspiration. I have run workshops with groups of all ages from mothers and babies to Women’s institutes.

“I run evening classes from Broadwood Hall, Allendale with the Centre for Lifelong Learning and independently. 

“In 2006 I started Newcastle College’s part time foundation degree in contemporary ceramic practice: ceramics is a vast area and there’s always more to learn,” she added.

Photo: Blue Reef’s Anna Etchells

To view Blue Reef Aquarium's web page on Zoo and Aquarium, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-2515-Blue_Reef_Aquarium