Herne Bay artist creates Kent wildlife scenes using giant cardboard sculptures
The works features dozens of wood ants, bees and even a flying owl
Thousands of pieces of cardboard will be at the centre of a brand-new exhibition by Herne Bay artist Nicholas Cobb.
Exhibiting at the Sarah Baulch Gallery on William Street, from May 1st - 12th, ‘Unquiet Kentish Landscapes’ will be a collection of five large cardboard constructions and related prints.
“Since last December I have been cutting up thousands of pieces of cardboard to create the large-scale work,” says Nicholas.
The constructions 'Owl Over Woods' [8 feet x 4 feet] and 'Wood Ants' , which covers an 8-foot wall and floor space, are inspired by observations in Blean Woods and celebrate Kentish nature.
Having started the project in December 2023, Nicholas has created the works using cardboard gathered from around the town.
There are varying pieces, some featuring dozens of ants and trees, to form a landscape scene while a 2.3 metre high piece shows off bees and foliage representing the commercial use of bees in agriculture.
“I take long walks in Blean Woods and the wood ants there can be fascinating to observe carrying various objects on their highways,” says Nicholas. “I've saved every little bit of the cardboard offcuts and that heap will be the nest deposited onto the gallery floor.
“The owl over a wood also refers to an area near Wildwood where I often take evening walks, so you hear them.”
A fourth piece is titled 'Treehouse' , send you straight back to childhood memories.
The final piece is a 2.5 metre model titled ''The Drunken Boat' .
“One sees these on the horizon of the East Kent coast but imagined here run aground at Herne Bay - its containers spilling their contents all over.”
