A grand art project is on track to complete in just over three months and will see 10,000 ceramic daffodils on show at a historic Cumbrian site.
Aptly called Ten Thousand Daffodils, the project is the idea of artist and potter Helen Ratcliffe and has involved the work of over 2,000 volunteers creating ceramic daffodils that are to be displayed at Lowther Castle.
Ten Thousand Daffodils is a charity fundraising project as well, with the aim to raise money for six charities while creating a beautiful art installation in its own right.
The project’s aim is also to bring people together, with local businesses, schools and volunteers behind the project aiming to build, fire, glaze, and ‘plant’ the daffodils as described in the famous poem by William Wordsworth, called I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.
An excerpt from the said poem reads: “When all at once I saw a crowd, a host of golden daffodils…ten thousand saw I at a glance, tossing their heads in sprightly dance.”
Since the project was first announced in late October, over 250 volunteers have come forward to help with the production of the daffodils.
Prototypes have been made and production got underway on the Lowther Estate in December 2022.
In April 2023, a further call will be put out for more volunteers to help plant the flowers and create a display that will flutter and dance in our beautiful Lakeland setting.
In addition to the 10,000 individually hand-made daffodils, ten large daffodils will also feature in the installation.
These will be designed by a talented group of famous potters and potteries, as well as by one or two other prominent individuals with links to Cumbria and to the event’s setting, Lowther Castle.
These pieces will be auctioned at a special Champagne Reception at Lowther in June, 2023.
All 10,000 individually handmade daffodils will be sold to raise much-needed funds for their six partner charities.
Helen said of the production so far: “We need to make 4,000 more, we’re doing really well so far.”
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