Owner: Ards Borough Council

Location: Portaferry Tourist Information Centre, Co. Down

Title & Date: "Goose bench" 1997

Artist: Owen Crawford

Material: Granite boulders. 4 x 225mm dia. Oak, carved and sited "green" from Clarke Cunninghams wood yard Killyleagh

Size: 210x100x45cm

Funded by: Ards Borough Council, Arts Council of Northern Ireland through Lottery Funding.

Background: For an Open competition to design robust out door public seating for council. Inspired by previous work on site at Castle Espie with WWT. The Brent Goose has the distinct shapes and patterns that the artist worked from. In contrast to its sister piece the oak was given a thin varnish coat to provide temporary protection that has now decayed so as not to feature. The Image was to be the sun weathered grey grain it is now. Only achieved with time. The reclaimed Mourne granite remains lighter in colour than the timber.

Artist Details: Owen Crawford is a sculptor based in Kircubbin, Co. Down. He trained in Fine Art Painting at Ravensbourne College of Art & Design, Kent. He has completed over forty public commissions in Ireland, north and south, to date, including work for the Royal Victoria Hospital, Bangor Heritage Centre and the Forest of Belfast. He has exhibited in venues throughout the country. Among these are; Seacourt Print Workshop, Castlereagh Arts Festival, Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork and the Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards.