Thirty-five years after graduating from De Montfort University in Leicester in 1990, three former 3D Design students set off on another creative adventure together.
Although life has taken us in different directions, we have remained close friends and still meet several times a year. This trip saw us travelling from Devon and Somerset to Liverpool, with Antony Gormley's Another Place at Crosby Beach firmly on our itinerary.
As with many good journeys, the destination was only part of the story.
A Creative Detour to Ironbridge
Our first stop was Ironbridge, where Sally wanted to view a traditional printing press she was considering purchasing for her Somerset studio. Sally is a talented printmaker, and seeing the press in person was an important step before making such a significant investment.
Walking through the workshop was fascinating. The smell of ink, rows of rollers, metal type, printing plates and beautifully crafted prints reminded us how much skill, patience and craftsmanship go into traditional printmaking.
For three people whose careers all began with a shared passion for design and making, it was a fitting start to the weekend. We spent time admiring the machinery, discussing techniques and, naturally, talking about art.
Then it was back into Sally's bright yellow Gloria for the final leg of the journey north.
Arriving at Crosby Beach
After a long drive, we arrived at Crosby Beach shortly after 5pm.
The timing could not have been better.
The tide was out, revealing vast expanses of rippled sand stretching towards the horizon. The low evening sun transformed the beach into a landscape of silver reflections, long shadows and extraordinary textures.
As designers, it was impossible not to be captivated by the patterns carved into the sand by the retreating sea. Nature had created a giant relief sculpture across the entire beach.
Another Place
Installed at Crosby Beach in 2005, Another Place is one of Antony Gormley's most recognisable public artworks.
The installation consists of 100 cast-iron figures spread across approximately three kilometres of coastline and extending almost one kilometre out to sea. Each figure is based on a cast of Gormley's own body and weighs around 650 kilograms.
All face towards the horizon.
The artwork explores humanity's relationship with nature, time, place and the vastness of the landscape. Depending on the tide, some figures stand fully exposed while others disappear almost completely beneath the water.
What struck me most was how differently each figure appeared. Some were heavily encrusted with barnacles and seaweed. Others seemed almost newly emerged from the sand. The sea has become an active collaborator in the work, continually altering and weathering the sculptures.
Looking Beyond the Figures
The sculptures themselves are compelling, but the surrounding landscape is equally important.
Standing beside the figures, we found ourselves looking out across the Mersey Estuary towards distant hills, offshore wind turbines and passing ships. The contrast between the industrial horizon and the stillness of the sculptures creates a powerful sense of reflection.
One of Antony Gormley's own descriptions of the work particularly resonated with me:
Looking Beyond
the Figures
"Human life is tested against planetary time."
Watching the figures stare silently towards the horizon, it was easy to understand what he meant.
A Designer's Perspective
Perhaps because we all studied 3D Design, we found ourselves looking beyond the obvious.
We talked about scale, materiality, texture and form. We noticed how the changing light altered the appearance of the cast iron. We discussed the relationship between sculpture and landscape, permanence and erosion, object and environment.
The barnacles, rust, algae and weathering weren't damage — they had become part of the artwork.
Every figure was unique.
More Than an Artwork
What made the visit particularly special wasn't just the sculptures themselves.
It was sharing the experience with friends whose creative journeys began alongside mine over three decades ago. Despite taking different paths, our curiosity about art, making and design remains unchanged.
A stop at a printing press workshop, a drive across the country in a bright yellow car and an evening spent wandering amongst Antony Gormley's silent figures felt like a perfect combination.
Thirty-five years after graduation, we are still finding inspiration in new places.
And perhaps that is exactly what creativity is about.
