The Salisbury Hares

Public sculpture commission for Persimmon Homes at St Peter’s Place, Salisbury. 2018

For the Persimmon Homes sculpture commission that was installed at St Peter’s Place in Salisbury in 2018, Julieann began by researching in the local history archives and museum. She found field names that indicated a local area called the Hare Warren in nearby woodlands (hare’s don’t actually have warrens but this was an historical name for an old hunting ground) and a shepherd’s report in the parish records of a local parish church dating back to the seventeenth century of seeing hares dancing by moonlight on adjacent Salisbury Plain, stating that it brought him good luck. Salisbury Museum has a tiny bronze leaping hare in it’s collection that dates back to Roman times and local churches feature the iconic three hares roundel carved into the fabric of the building.

Hares have always held a special fascination forJulieann. She saw her first boxing hares on moving to Wiltshire over thirty years ago. Salisbury Plain provides habitat for our indigenous wild brown hare and it is indeed a magical sight catching glimpses of them running and boxing in the fields near St Peter’s Place. Julieann sketched the hares in the wild and made sculpture maquettes using pliable armature wire that developed the sketches into three dimensional drawings. The maquettes were scaled up in collaboration with specialist engineers Art Fabrications.

The large hare sculptures (a leaping hare, running hare and boxing pair) are installed in the green open space that runs the length of the development, along pathways and in wild flower areas leading towards the city and with a view of the famous cathedral spire. The sculptures created landmarks, were connected to and told stories of the place, of people and wildlife, historically and now. The sculptures are open so the big Wiltshire skies are seen through them. They are made out of stainless steel rod, artfully flowing just like the lines of a drawing. The material reflects the light, the trees, the changing hours and seasons.

Julieann devised and led Kaleidoscopic, a community engagement project exploring the nature of perception and place, as part of this public art commission. She brought together community members from the new St Peter’s Place housing development where the sculptures are sited and the neighbouring existing community in Bemerton Heath. Working with pupils and the communities of St Peter’s Primary School and Bemerton Woodlands Primary School, Julieann led sculpture workshops, local walk and talks and visits to nearby Roche Court Sculpture Park. The sculptures and film by Create Studios made during the project went on to be exhibited at Salisbury Arts Centre with a an opening celebratory event and film screening for all participants and the wider communities.