Every month we feature two blogs written by volunteers; one describes an object in the Palace and one a feature from the Garden. It is a chance to share your favourite parts of the Palace with the volunteer community and, since there is no set format, you can experiment with research, poetry, prose, or anything you are inspired to do.
Huge thanks for this blog go to Lee Copeland, tour guide, front of house and events volunteer. Lee tracked down and interviewed sculptor Daniel Miles to bring us the artist’s insight into this enigmatic sculpture which today sits proudly on the main lawn.
From Glastonbury to Fulham Palace - the Pinecone sculptures!
Daniel Miles’ Pinecone sculpture at the Palace
I have walked across the main lawn at Fulham Palace so many times I cannot count, often glancing at the Wooden Sculpture of a Pine Cone and the many activities it enables the visitor to enjoy. From simply sitting on top of it, to enjoying the views around the Palace, from weary travellers taking a rest (like my dear friend Leslie who visited from Texas) to the many children using their imaginations for play, it becomes a great object to climb on or to circle in a running game. I've watched them all, but it occurred to me that, as much as I know about the other wooden sculptures in the Garden (those by Andrew Frost or the throne chairs at the Bishops tree) I don't know anything about the Pinecones.
The pinecone sculpture functioning as a probably not so comfortable bench.
I asked Rachel if she could help. She was able to give me a small article from 2013 which mentions the Pinecone and the artist’s name. This was my starting point.
From 2011-13, the Palace hosted three Arts and Craft fairs. In the fair of 2012, amongst the many fine artists exhibiting was Daniel Miles. Miles is a self-taught carpenter and sculptor from Wadebridge, Cornwall. His father had been a carpenter so Daniel always had a strong connection with wood. He worked for Greenpeace for 18 years and perhaps this informs his choice of materials: he works in recycled materials wherever possible, working mostly in locally-sourced timber from trees that have either fallen themselves or been felled for safety reasons. He is very true to his phrase ‘Fix not Throw’.
Daniel Miles sculpting
His sculptural pieces evolve organically in a variety of different directions and often resemble micro-organisms and plant life on a large scale. Ever-evolving but often beginning with simple forms, many of the objects he creates appear calm and pleasing to the eye. Yet, the process used to create them is often incredibly noisy, dusty and aggressive.
Sometimes, I will scale up an organism beyond recognition, which offers us a warped perspective on the minute and intricate.
Miles is primarily concerned with love, interconnections with others as well as nature. His forms have a beautiful presence, acting as vessels for human emotion and, like small creatures, demand gentle touching.
The wooden pinecone sculpture
I enjoy creating work when I have no idea what the outcome will be. That tends to inspire new directions or themes.
A group of twelve pieces were commissioned by Greenpeace for display at Glastonbury Festival in 2011. The sculptures include the Brockwell Park conker, a giant Sycamore seed, a Walnut, and the Pinecones. He made them at the festival with the assistance of a crew of chainsaw operatives, whom he had trained to make them. The group of sculptures were called the 'Seeds of Change'. This highlighted the fragility of large-scale timber deforestation. Most of the pieces were auctioned off to private collectors to raise funds for Greenpeace.
Not all the Pinecones were sold, so he brought them to Fulham Palace for display at the Palace Arts and Crafts fair. They were left behind, and there they remain on the main lawn of Fulham Palace, much enjoyed by the many visitors - and now for me too, having a better understanding of their story, much appreciated!!
Works by Daniel Miles. Please do look him up on social media if you'd like to see more of his amazing work. Here’s his Facebook page and his Instagram account