This project came about after the local communitys enthusiastic and favourable response to  the ArtsCape 2010 sculpture show held in Byron Bay.  As a result, Curator Dev Lengjel and the Farmers Association in the nearby town of Bangalow  put together a plan to involve 8 local sculptors and 8 local farmers in a project to create sculptures from items we found on the farms. 

The farming family I was linked up with were dairy farmers Lyn and Trevor Garrett of Coorabell.  Both Lyns and Trevors families have  a long history of farming in the Northern Rivers area. 

Using those two concepts of a dairy farm and the long local history, in discussions between us we came up with two separate ideas:

1. Blue Cow made out of a blue 200 litre plastic drum that once held iodine. The iodine is used as a disinfectant in the milking shed.  Added to this drum were bits of long-departed animals that had not made the daily trudge up the hill as well as other found objects.  There is an artistic  reference to the German Expressionist Frans Marcs paintings of animals in exotic colours.

2. Family Tree. This is made from a branch of a long dead camphor laurel tree on the Garretts farm and stones found around the property which have been imbedded into the trunk of the tree.  There is a long steel chain and padlock that refers to the way that farmers are in effect chained to their properties and lifestyle.  This was something that emerged during discussions over tea and banana bread between the Garretts and I.

Trevor passed away tragically about 6 weeks after the Sculpture in the Paddock project was completedd.