Queen’s Gardens: Sculptural Surprise

The “Part II” of Saturday’s Work Excursions

Education. When I present skills, concepts and new techniques, I also learn. I learned …. a LOT, from my venture To Queen’s Gardens in Perth.

On the job, on going education. Perfect.

Ok.

Yes. There have been days, of ‘not so’ perfect. And I most definitely will not share those with the public. But overall, it is a great gig.

Sculpture: Peter Pan

I left the green shaded groves, of the UWA Sunken Gardens. Leaving the calm, zen there.

I drove off, into the city. Clearly following my well researched and diagrammed directions. I had studied this. I knew the route.

Detours.

In the city. Gosh. Who, would have suspected?

Where was my Plan B?

Needless to say, the first attempt to arrive at Queen’s Garden was met with Strike One.

I ended up, very close to my original starting point. Oops.

Do I give up and go home? Do I allow the city, and detours, to be victorious? I sighed. It WAS HOT. 90+ degrees. How bad, did I really want to go?

But, you know, I am Determined.

Someone just recently, made that comment – that I was very determined. I’m not certain if it that was a polite way of just saying, ‘Stubborn.’ I’m thinking it was though!

My “Stubbornness” won out.

I continued on my target goal to the Queen’s Gardens. Finally, 55 minutes later – I arrived! It should have taken 20, tops.

Victory. Ok I met some more road closures, detours. And had to walk from the river to the Gardens. (Bonus, more exercise for me!) The point is, I achieved my destination point.

I had a nice pleasant stroll around.

Relaxing. Taking photos of turtles, black swans, golden breasted waterfowl, massive ivory waterlilies on the deep blue ponds, wooden bridges, and the famous bench from the movie “Notting Hill.”

Towards the end of my stroll I came closer to the large statue that had caught my eye earlier. It had looked like a Pied Piper of sorts.

I was so immersed in the faces and features, the transcendent expressions the artist brought to life, I didn’t look first at the title or description.

Instead I engaged with the art. Section by section.

I loved the ‘rabbit’ like ears upon some of the figures.

Once I was finished with taking the photos, then I read.

I discovered the statue was based on JM Barrie’s story of Peter Pan.

The sculptor was Sir George Frampton. This was one of his 6 replicas he cast from his original mould. This sculpture was erected in Queens Garden in June 1929.

The original is in London, the Kensington Gardens.

Apparently with the original statue, Sir George…. acted without authorisation.

Overnight, without prior permission, he erected his Peter Pan statue unbeknownst to anyone.

He did get chastised…. however in his defense he stated that he’d simply wanted the children to be surprised. To awaken and see the ‘Peter Pan’ in the gardens ‘as if the fairies had done so overnight.’

I can just imagine how this explanation went over!

But, I think, he may have had a smidgen of ‘determination’ within himself. I don’t think he was going to allow anything to dissuade him from his goal. He knew what he wanted to accomplish.

And he did so.

Finally…

Artists need to have this quality of Determination.

This almost wilful, stubbornness.

It is this, that enables them to overcome the 1001 odds that are stacked against them.

The challenges of the city proved to be an excellent educational tool. We can choose to give up too soon, or choose to be Determined.