A decorated tree
WARRINGTON’S Queens Gardens was transformed into a “woolly wonderland” as part of an art student’s final year project.
Laura McFadden, who is in her final year of a foundation art course at Warrington Collegiate, has spent every spare minute in recent weeks knitting pieces to cover tree trunks, benches and grass in an activity known as “yarn bombing”.
The colourful makeover, carried out with permission from Warrington Borough Council and help from Culture Warrington’s outreach development officer James Goodison, included stuffed toys reclining on the benches, jellyfish and pears dangling from the trees and pom-pom flowers adorning the grass.
Laura, 29, who has two young children and holds down a job as well as studying full time, admitted the project had been hard work but said it had been very worthwhile.
She said: “I was doing a lot of theory for my finals at the time and felt the need to do something more enjoyable as well.
“I saw a quote by Pablo Picasso saying ‘every child is an artist, the problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up’ and it made me realise I just wanted to have fun.
“I was also really interested in guerrilla art and thought yarn bombing would be great: hopefully it will make people happy.
“This is just a pop-up, one day event but I’d love to do it again as more of a community event, whether that’s with community groups or children.
“It’d be great for people to learn how to do it and get involved in decorating their surroundings.
“Knitting and crotchet is a really relaxing thing to do, it really chills you out so it’s been fun, even if I have had to do it on the bus sometimes just to make sure everything was finished on time.
“It’s been great to see it all take shape and I hope people will enjoy seeing it and interacting with the garden in a new way.”
Derek Dick, outreach and engagement manager, said: “It’s been really nice to see Queens Gardens, already a lovely spot in the town, being brightened up by Laura’s yarn bombing.
“As well as being a great idea for her final year project, I hope it encourages the public to appreciate and engage with the green space in a new way.”
