Location: Outside Zurich offices, High Street, Swindon 2023. The Big Dog Art Trail with Julia’s House
Get your tails wagging for the biggest and most colourful event in Swindon in 2023. From 15 July to 3 September, discover super-sized Swindogs on The Big Dog Art Trail! As well as brining in tourism and highlighting artists and businesses, the tail supports Julia's House, Julia’s House is your local children’s hospice charity, providing a lifeline of care for the most seriously ill children and their families across Wiltshire and Dorset.
The sculpture
Introducing 'Creative Twist' - a balloon-shaped sculpture that transports you to a world of boundless imagination and vibrant colours.
My journey with this sculpture began with a metallic red base coat, strategically applied to infuse a subtle shine that peeks through the layers, igniting curiosity. The essence of the piece emerged as I embarked on a multifaceted process.
Employing a blend of techniques, I intricately created textures and hues to craft a space-like backdrop. With sponges wielding varying textures, I carefully blended pinks and blues in acrylic paint, producing layers of evoke cosmic splendour enhanced through spray paints. Amidst this celestial canvas, mandala pattern stencils emerge, gracefully weaving between the layers, subtly guiding the eye on a voyage of discovery.
The narrative of 'Creative Twist' continues with the delicate dance of floral patterns in metallic blue n the legs. A sprinkling of silver and gold glitter introduces a touch of enchantment, a celestial dust that comes alive as sunlight dances upon its surface. The final touch, a meticulous varnish, ensures the preservation of this captivating tale, allowing 'Creative Twist' to forever enchant hearts and stimulate the senses. In its official description, 'Creative Twist' is aptly portrayed as an exploration of the universe within, where nebula clouds, mandala whispers, and glistening splendor converge to form a unique artwork that beckons you to unveil its secrets with every gaze.
"It is my first time in Swindon and when I saw the design, I thought this was going to be a fantastic trail to be part of. I thought it was a fun, whimsical sculpture design that I hadn’t worked on before and I wanted to bring my style, vibrant colours and what I’m known for to a new town."
- MrASingh
The public's reaction
People have loved visiting Creative Twist in Zurich's beautiful gardens. The sculpture matches the location perfectly and as you can see from the photos below, Creative Twist is super loved by locals and visitors. Please tag @mrasingh when sharing your photo of Creative Twist.
Partnering with my sculpture sponsor
The sculpture is sponsored by the insurance giant Zurich which is one of Swindon town's biggest employers. Zurich UK have been fantastic to work with and proactive in their approach to being part of the trail. A special shoutout to Grace Evans and Natalie Owen.
"We are incredibly pleased to have Zurich join the pack for The Big Dog Art Trail. Zurich is well known in Swindon for not only being a fantastic employer but also for the important role they play in supporting the community with projects taking place across the town every year."
-Chris Hyde, project manager for The Big Dog Art Trail
"Having grown up in Swindon, it’s great to be able to give something back to the community I had such a great start in. As one of Swindon’s largest employers, we have a longstanding history in the area with 1,000 of our UK team based here. Whilst the surrounding area is under extensive development, we’re really pleased to be a part of the Art Trail alongside the team at Julia’s House which is doing such amazing work."
-Tim Bailey, Zurich UK CEO
The Auction
Come along to the Grand Auction where you’ll have another chance to see the Swindogs in all their glory and bid for your favourite sculpture at this thrilling evening at STEAM Museum. By adopting a Swindog, you’ll not only have a unique piece of artwork to treasure, you’ll also be raising vital funds for Julia’s House children's hospice.
Where: STEAM Museum, Swindon
When: 19th September 2023
Online bidding: click here
“Hopefully the sculpture will inspire you to explore your own town through curiosity and then when you do look closer, you’ll notice lots of layers, detail and textures.
MrASingh
The App
The Big Dog Art Trail app to discover the sculptures, collect rewards and track your trail steps with the pedometer. Using the COLLECT + enter the 4 digit code found on the plaque to collect the sculpture.
Information
Name: Creative Twist
Location: Zurich, Unity Place, 1 Carfax Cl, Swindon SN1 1AP
Client: Zurich Insurance
Materials - Fiberglass sculpture. Acrylic, spray paint, metallic paint, gold paint, glitter and resin varnish
Related hashtags: #bigdogarttrail
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