Building worker creates poetry for an old school floor

Construction worker Jimmy Roberts turned poet to create a lasting work of art for Knowsley.

The air duct fitter wrote a poem for the borough’s new Leisure and Culture Park that he was helping to build.

Now the poem has been carved into the side of a huge K-shaped table that sits in the main atrium of the centre, made from an old school floor.

“I’m slightly embarrassed and slightly proud,” said 41 year old Jimmy, who was a subcontractor at the leisure park site for Balfour Beatty.

“It’s part of an alphabet trail of public art at the centre. I wrote about the letter K, standing for Knowsley and Knowledge.

“I made the point that words can be used for any number of things, to bully, to answer back – people draw their own conclusions.”

Jimmy met the man who carved his words into the table at a celebration of the 26 pieces of art at the new leisure park.

Andy Sawyer and his team spent three months creating the 4 metres by 3 metres table from an old parquet floor salvaged from the former Northern Support primary in Kirkby.

“It was hard work,” said Andy who was one of a group of craftspeople working on the public art project, led by renowned artist Gordon Young.

“The wood was covered in bitumen on one side and I had to scrape it off each piece before it was usable.

“But I tried to keep as much of the wood’s original appearance as I could. It’s great working with materials that have had another life.”

The art trail was inspired by Knowsley’s history and the works of the famous 19th century artist Edward Lear, who worked for a while at Knowsley Hall and created a Nonsense Alphabet for the Earl of Derby’s grandchildren.

Many local people, including community groups, school children and adult day service users wrote poems and drew pictures as part of the design process.

“This has really brought people together,” said Cllr Eddie Connor, Knowsley’s cabinet member for Leisure Community and Culture.

“They’ve created something that’s a million miles away from what you might normally see in a council building.”

Pictured (l to r) Artist Andy Sawyer with construction worker Jimmy Roberts at the huge “K” table in Knowsley’s Leisure and Culture Park.

 

 

Comments

[דלת כניסה]

Amazing design and pattern shared by you here. I like it too much. It's really pretty tough task and you did it well. Great job done by you.

[Gap Year Abroad]

That's great. It proves that Creativity has no boundaries or limit.

[דלתות כניסה לבית]

The wooden was protected in bitumen on one side and I had to clean it off each item before it was use by people, such as group categories, youngsters and mature day service customers.