Name: Heart of Glass
Price range: $

Each artwork draws connections between a species of tree, and a part of local history;

Ash was the tree of life in Norse mythology, and the sculpture depicts the forest as a place of play and discovery for young people.

Hawthorn is a tree of abundance, with plenty of fruit and blossoms, linked in the artwork to the need for nourishment at the heart of a community.

Hazel is connected to ideas of wisdom and inspiration, and the sculpture depicts the evolution of Halewood Triangle Park and the railway lines.

Oak is associated with strength and protection. The oldest trees in the park, this artwork connects oaks to the history of the area and some important archaeological finds.

Silver birch is a pioneer species, growing on almost any land and populating rapidly, linked in the artwork to the rapid growth of the Ford Factory.

Willow is known for its resilience and tenacity, connected here with the community spirit of Halewood communities, always pulling each other through times of hardship.

Visit

You'll find Following the Roots: Stories of Halewood located across six areas of Halewood Triangle Park. The park has multiple entrances, but you can pick up a map at the Environment Centre, Okell Drive, Liverpool L26 7XB.

Part of a series of public artworks platforming the work of women and LGBTQIA+ artists.

Downloads

Download a map of the trail

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A group of people stand surrounding a tree in Halewood park looking up at the artwork. — Photo by Radka Dolinska

A clay artwork featuring a bakery, a flower and leaves is attached to a tree. — Image by Radka Dolinska

A man is holding a map in the forest, looking up. Several other people are in the background looking in the same direction. — Photo by Radka Dolinska

Two people are photographed looking up at one of the sculpture artworks on a tree. — Photo by Radka Dolinska

Audio conversations with Halewood Residents

Listen: Telling the Human Tales of Halewood

A photograph of one of Fran's artworks for the trail after having colour added to it. Next to it are some photographs of buildings. — In-progress image of the Willow, from Following the Roots by Frances Disley

In-progress image of the Ash, featuring illustrations of the story attached to it. — In-progress image of the Ash, from Following the Roots by Frances Disley

In-progress image of the Hazel artwork, 3 smaller artworks featuring people to illustrate the story attached to the tree. — In-progress image of the Hazel, from Following the Roots by Frances Disley

In-progress image of the Oak artwork, the clay sculpture features a large oak tree with people surrounding it. — In-progress image of the Oak, from Following the Roots by Frances Disley

In-progress image of the Silver birch, from Following the Roots by Frances Disley. The artwork features a car driving on top of tree roots and a crowd of people surrounding it. — In-progress image of the Silver birch, from Following the Roots by Frances Disley.

In-progress image of the Hawthorn, featuring leaves, branches and berries arching over a drawing of Raven Court. — In-progress image of the Hawthorn, from Following the Roots by Frances Disley

The forest is a place that enriches and supports the community - a place to meet, gather and share stories. This trail of sculptures tells the human tales of Halewood intertwined with the wisdom of the trees. It brings to life the unique stories of the area and explores the special relationship between residents of Halewood and this forest.

Throughout history, various tree species have been considered to have special qualities. Artist Frances Disley has paired stories and memories collected from local residents, with tree species in the forest, to represent the coexistence of people and place.

These sculptures are made from stoneware clay. Frances' process included hand painting using coloured slips and underglazes onto the clay before taking through a series of firing stages, making the work able to withstand the elements.

The idea of creating a trail is also inspired by mapping and the way people move through time and pass on stories - community networks mirroring mycelial networks (root-like structures of a fungus found in and on soil).

The project was launched on 19th December 2022 with a winter solstice celebration event, following a series of workshops with communities in Halewood (pictured above).