In 2022, the internationally renowned artist Luke Jerram invited me to collaborate on a new sculpture. Luke initiated, designed and directed the project. I sourced the timber, gave technical advice, carved and assembled the work and helped with the installation next to Ashton Court mansion in Bristol.

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The sculpture was eventually titled ‘New Beginnings’ and was based on the tradition of wishing trees. These are fallen trees or stumps that have coins driven into them by visitors, in the hope of bringing good luck. An example of such a wishing tree, from Portmeirion in Wales, is shown here:

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The installation took place in a country emerging from the third lockdown caused by the Covid-19 epidemic.

​On Luke Jerram’s official website, he says:

“I love idea of a seed: as a capsule of information and an object of potential that contains everything inside, a plant needs to grow. I hope the public enjoy interacting with this new sculpture and it acts as a capsule for their hopes, dreams and imagination!”

Over a thousand coins had been hammered into the sculpture by members of the public in just four weeks.