Over summer, we responded to a open request on Facebook from Durlston Country Park about fixing up their dolphin sculpture that had been outside for decades and was in a bit of a state. My friend who is also on our course was the one who noticed the post, had grown up around the area, and suggested we spend a few days down there fixing it up for them.
We’re used to quite long and detailed projects, so we honestly enjoyed the idea of just getting to spend a few days on something big, and fix it up best we could.
Most of the work was spent patching up larger holes in the fibreglass body, filling scratches and dents, and sanding the surface back down as smooth as we could get it. The last day we spent painting it.
While it was pretty straightforward, we definitely made it harder than it needed to be at times – wasting a day hand sanding it before we finally caved and found a motorised hand-sander, not having enough paint and having to come back another day to finish it, and not quite preparing for just how much sanding it would take – but by the end, we were both happy with the work we’d done.
While we do a lot of making for our course, it was also a relatively new process. Still, we had learned enough core skills over the past few years that we were confident we could get a relatively nice result. And I think we did, but it was definitely a learning experience as well.
It was really satisfying to see him come together, and see the rangers and park goers reactions as we worked. While I didn’t grow up around the area, I have so many memories of visiting parks and trails and museums as a kid and always enjoying the inclusion of art or sculpture. I know if I was younger, seeing something like this would have been the highlight of my trip, so I really did jump at the chance to fix him up for other kids and adults to enjoy while out visiting Durlston.
Most of my favourite projects have been the ones I’ve done for other people, and this one was no different. I enjoy most of all getting to make art for others and getting to give someone else a quality result that can be enjoyed for years. Hopefully this dolphin will now be able to be on display for another few decades, or at least until some more modelmakers can come by and keep him looking good.
I moved quite far from home to do my course here, drawn in by a degree purely about making and crafting in all its forms, and haven’t regretted my choice at all. I am so glad my skills could be put to use in this way, I loved visiting Durlston and seeing how much art goes into their education about the local wildlife and environment, and am so pleased I get to be a part of that.
