Meet Wall-ter: the York College designed Wellington Row Snook
York College & University Centre are delighted to introduce Wall-ter the Wellington Row Snook.
Wall-ter, who was lovingly designed and painted by our Level 1 Art & Design students, has taken up residence outside Aviva’s office in York, where he will stay until the final weekend in April as one of 23 identically sized snooks dotted across the city centre as part of a Sculpture Trail.
The insurance company paid for the snook who was then brought to life on Campus at Sim Balk Lane after a competition was staged to decide the winning design among an array of high-quality entries from the students.
Merlyn Camp (pictured in the main image with Wall-ter) enjoyed that honour and, explaining the concept behind her design, the 16-year-old student said: “I've always liked art and the history of York, so I picked key elements of the city’s tourist attractions. I was very happy that my design was chosen by Aviva for the Snook Trail.
“I am also grateful for the opportunity to contribute to an art trail that the public can experience and that showcases the work of talented artists.”
Judge and Aviva Brand Design Manager Andy Cook, meanwhile, applauded the detail and friendly feeling of Merlyn’s 3D design, along with the regional references she included to the white rose, black cats, ghosts and walls.
He also added that she had taken into consideration Aviva’s corporate colours.
College’s students and tutors overcame one or two logistical problems during the project, most notably relocating to a ground-floor workshop when it was clear Wall-ter was too big to fit in the lift!
He looked resplendent, however, when he left Campus fully varnished and is now attracting the attention of thousands of passers-by and Trail followers every day near the banks of the River Ouse.
On Merlyn’s design and the overall standard of competition entries, Andy said: “All of the designs were great with lots of ideas expressed and some very clever concepts.
“We did struggle to find a winner but decided to go with Merlyn because her colours were so vibrant and the design is full of detail and tells different stories. Merlyn also took into consideration the 3D shape of the snook.”
The Snook Sculpture Trail has been organised by Make It York with the help of charity partners St Leonard’s Hospice and will guide people through York’s cobbled streets and hidden gardens.
Each sculpture has been sponsored by a local business, who were paired up with an artist or artists to create bespoke designs.
The snooks are described as a “bookish breed” who are “often found in cosy corners with their faces buried inside the pages of a good book”.
They have been created by Sian Ellis, a Yorkshire-based illustrator and mural artist, whose work is renowned for being playful and full of humour.
Sian has created multiple murals around Yorkshire and worked on a number of charity sculpture trails across the UK.
She has raised more than £100,000 for worthy causes in the process and the plan is for Wall-ter, along with all the other snooks, to be sold to the highest bidders during a Charity Auction in May.
Please see below for Merlyn's winning design and her fellow students' entries...
