Gorillas looking for new homes

After a summer in the sun on the English Riviera, my gorilla 'Five Minutes to Midnight' will be going to auction along with nearly 30 other life size designs and some smaller school designs, next week.

Great Gorillas project organised by Paignton Zoo and Wild in Art has been hugely popular and entertained visitors and residents alike in Paignton, Torquay and Exeter, winning Tourism Event of the Year at the English Riviera and South Devon Tourism Awards 2013.

'Five minutes to midnight, sponsored by SW legal firm Wollen Michelmore, has had a busy time. He joined the Gorilla Flotilla around Torbay in July, then was situated on Torquay seafront near the Pavilion and English Riviera Wheel during the trail from August to October. Later in October he joined the rest of the tribe at Paignton Zoo for the Goodbye Gorillas weekend event and is now heading for the Charity Auction on 6th November, looking for a forever home.

A Mini 'Midnight' has been hiding out at Babbacombe Model Village on their tiny trail and mini ceramics of him have also been for sale. More will be available from the Wild in Art webshop, running up to Christmas.
I was thrilled that he was also recently voted as the public's favourite gorilla by readers of the Torquay Herald Express. Hopefully 'Midnight' has helped to raise awareness of the urgency to support endangered Western Lowland Gorillas, with his clock and watch faces showing the 'doomsday' warning of five minutes to midnight!

The Auction this Wednesday will raise funds for Paignton Zoo's conservation projects, and proceeds from the sale of 'Midnight' will go to a very special local charity, The Children's Hospice South West which was nominated by his sponsor Wollen Michelmore. Information about the auction can be found here at Great Gorillas. It's not too late to register for telephone of proxy bidding.

Good luck 'Midnight'!

Great Gorillas on the Loose!

The Great Gorillas are on the loose and 30 life size gorillas have hit the streets along the English Riviera in Paignton, Torquay and Exeter.

Down on Torquay harbour front, where 'Five Minutes to Midnight' is situated, I met up with my Clive Meredith, Practise Director for Wollen Michelmore the South Devon Law Firm who have sponsored my gorilla.
Five Minutes ... is in front of the Pavillion in a great position for watching the world go by and with a perfect view of the English Riviera Big Wheel . Who knows, he may remind people occasionally that it's getting late and they should be getting a taxi home!

 

The wonderful Babbacombe Model Village in Torquay also has a miniature version of the trail with  some of the gorillas even performing useful or dangerous tasks!

 

There's plenty of time to follow the gorilla trails as the project continues until October ending with the Great Gorillas Charity Auction at The Palace Theatre Paignton on 6th Nov.

Gorilla Flotilla

This week the English Riviera was the stage for a strange invasion.

The Gorilla Flotilla launched the public phase of the Great Gorillas project with a flotilla of 9 vessels with very motley crews!

 

 

 

The flotilla was a spectacular event on a beautiful evening, enjoyed by supporters, artists and sponsors from the balcony of Living Coasts which overlooks Torbay, and a lucky 350 readers of the Torquay Herald Express were aboard the boats with the gorillas!

 

 

 

Organised by Wild in Art in partnership with Paignton Zoo , who celebrate their 90th Anniversary this year, the public art project will raise money for the Cross River Gorilla Conservation project to help the endangered Western Lowland Gorillas in Nigeria and Cameroon, and wonderful local charity the South West Children's Hospice.

The 30 gorillas, painted by different artists will form a trail along the English Riviera from 3rd August - 13th October, along with 20 smaller gorillas specially painted by local schools.
The additional  miniature version of the trail at Babbacombe Model Village which celebrates it's 50th Anniversary this year is sure to prove another really popular attraction.

The trail map will be available in many outlets in Exeter and Torbay or is downloadable here
Great Gorillas Trail map
If you have a smart phone and manage to complete the trail of all 30 gorillas, you will be able to enter a draw to win a once in a lifetime experience to meet the real gorillas at Paignton Zoo. Details to register will be available very soon watch this space!

 

'Five Minutes to Midnight' ( far side) aboard

'The Fairmile' with one of his gorilla cousins.

My gorilla 'Five Minutes to Midnight' is sponsored by local Legal Firm Wollen Michelmore and I'm delighted that proceeds raised from his sale at the Gorilla Auction, at the Palace Theatre in Paignton on Wednesday 6th November 2013, will go to their nominated charity the South West Children's Hospice.

Gorilla swinging his way to the English Riviera

My gorilla 'Five minutes to midnight' for Great Gorillas will be swinging his way down to the English Riviera very soon.

 

The trail runs from 3rd August until 13th Oct and will include the wonderful miniature version of the trail at Babbacombe Model Village

 

 

There will also be a spectacular Gorilla Flotilla along the coast on 23rd July which I hope to get along to and meet everyone from the hard working Great Gorillas team and my kind sponsors Wollen Michelmore.

Really looking forward to the summer, I'm sure Great Gorillas will be hugely popular and hopefully raise lots of funds for the brilliant gorilla conservation work of Paignton Zoo

Great Gorillas update

Managing Partner Chris Hart, from my Gorilla's sponsor Wollen Michelmore dropped in to the studio to see work in progress on Five Minutes to Midnight

 

A great fun addition to the event, Great Gorillas have just announced that Babbacombe Model Village will feature a miniature trail of the gorillas in their gardens during the summer as well.

 

 

I was also very pleased to learn that Five Minutes to Midnight has been chosen as one of the designs from Great Gorillas to be produced as a miniature ceramic figurine. He will be available locally and from the Wild in Art web shop when the trail goes out in August.

 

Great Gorillas

From  Wild in Art comes another wonderful public art project which supports endangered animals.

Great Gorillas is organised to celebrate the 90th birthday of Paignton Zoo . Funds raised by the sale of the gorilla sculptures will go to support wildlife conservation including the Cross Rivers Gorilla Project.
The gorilla sculptures will form a trail around Exeter and the English Riviera for 10 weeks starting on Aug 3rd.

My design 'Five Minutes to Midnight' aka Smiley has kindly been sponsored by the South Devon Law Firm Wollen Michelmore

The concept for the design is inspired by the saying 'Five minutes to Midnight' from the symbolic Doomsday clock which heralds impending disaster.....in this case the urgency to conserve the endangered Western Lowland Gorilla. It incorporates a variety of clock faces showing the times as five minutes to midnight. The smiley face watch with no hands symbolises hope and action!

Watch this space for work in progress pics and news updates about the project.