This year, artist Eliot Baron and poet Miriam Scott (both of Maidenwells) have brought their joint work ‘Creatures of Wonder’ to St. Michael and All Angels Church, in Cosheston, as part of this year’s Art on the Faith Trail (see website: aoft.artmost.net).

The trail is slowly being extended from north to south Pembrokeshire.

This church is usually only open to the public at weekends, but with the help of the school community, is being specially opened for the AOFT Exhibition which runs until July 27 (10 am to 5 pm).

This is a great opportunity to visit this old and interesting church, as well as to see the art exhibition.

The exhibition also features some of Eliot’s seaglass panels in the windows, and two of local sculptor Robert Jakes’s oak carved creations.

This school year Eliot worked with two classes at Cosheston VC School, next door to the church, leading a carving project. At midwinter the children learnt how to carve their drawings into two large curved oak boards.

The children worked in small groups, on a rota, so they each had several sessions.

By Friday, which happened to be Red Nose Day, the children and staff were in fancy dress, varnishing their creatures to the sound of Eliot’s Gubal music.

The driving force for this project has been parent Emma-Mary Gough, who has created the new school garden on a voluntary basis and run a garden club at the school (helping the children grow their own fruit and vegetables that can be part of their school dinners).

She succeeded in getting funding from the Ernest Cook Trust - a UK charitable trust. It was her vision that the children should learn to carve -and make their mark on the school.

The children greatly enjoyed the whole experience.

Children having the experience of using sharp carving chisels and learning how to use them used to happen a lot more, before the insurance for using sharp tools became unavailable. (Parents now need to sign disclaimer forms).

The carving project began with a very special drawing and design session led by Eliot.

The children were asked to draw images of living creatures they had seen in the school garden.

They could refer to their photographic record of life in the garden. Eliot played magical music on his Gubal musical instrument, from Berne in Switzerland.

A magical hush filled the classroom as these images were drawn.

These were then selected and redrawn on the curved oak boards, ready to begin carving on the Monday morning.

After the carving project, the drawings were used as source material for the art panels exhibited at St. Michael and All Angels Church, and also as part of the AOFT exhibition at St. David’s Cathedral (also on display until July 27).

Eliot realised the drawings in various beach-combed materials (pottery fragments, seaglass, steel wire, flotsam and jetsam).

Then the poet, Miriam Scott, gave the creatures voice and deeper presence by writing a poem for each creature.

This is one of the best integrated-in-the-community projects that we have been involved with. It is grassroots-led, created entirely by the school community in partnership with artist Eliot Baron and poet Miriam Scott.

Last Friday, the children were introduced to the Creatures of Wonder, in the church.

Miriam will read some of her poems, supported by Eliot Baron on his magical instrument. The celebration will continue at the new school garden where the children will read some of their poems, supported by Eliot’s playing. And a garden party will continue on a very special day.

May the sun shine on Cosheston School and St. Michael and All Angels Church!