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White Flower Field Art Project Inspired by the Tower of London poppies, an installation designed by local artist Sarah Farrell-Roberts will fill one side of The Square in Barnstaple this November to mark 40 years of the Women’s Refuge. Handcrafted by women all over North Devon and further afield, it will be a moving tribute to victims of domestic abuse – and you’re welcome to join in
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arah Farrell-Roberts says she clearly remembers attending the Petal Launch ceremony in Barnstaple last year. ‘It was a moving experience,’ she says. ‘People shared poetry and readings and everyone took a handful of petals which we scattered into the river as we all gave thought to the men, women and children affected by domestic abuse.’ This year, Sarah has been invited to design a whole art installation called the White Flower Field Art Project for NDADA’s 40th anniversary. For the project, we have appealed for people to get involved and help handcraft 4,000 white flowers to be displayed in The Square in Barnstaple. ‘A pair of open hands will be nestled amongst this field of white flowers,’ explains Sarah. ‘The hands represent the support that is there for victims and the relief they can feel once they have broken their silence.’ The number of flowers represents the number of enquiries received each year by specialist domestic abuse services in Devon, and is also an estimate of the number of individuals the North Devon Women’s Refuge has helped over the past 40 years.
20 re:story THE VINTAGE ISSUE
Inspired by the poppies at the Tower of London last year, the installation will be in place from November 9–27, so it will be there for National Domestic Violence Awareness Week which starts on November 23 with the NDADA annual Petal Launch ceremony, when the whole community is invited to scatter petals into the River Taw in remembrance of victims of domestic violence. ‘As the White Flower Field Art Project moves on and the number of flowers grow, there are so many different individuals and groups making them up and down the country, from a range of materials – clay, plastic, wool, cotton, netting and more,’ says Sarah. ‘The flowers are unique and varied, which is significant as there are no stereotypes in how or where abuse occurs.’ We need to make 500 flowers every month up to October to get the installation ready in time for November. Flowers need to be 10cm x 10cm, and can be made out of any material you choose – provided it will withstand the weather conditions of November (so no paper or cardboard, and nothing with bits
