Let's look at the carving and see what we can see. Firstly, we want to know the elements, and how it relates to Pinner, then if it relates to Heath Robinson, finally how it relates to the sculptor.
1 Sculpture Features Mirroring Pinner
The Boy Bearing The Brolly
Starting top left we see a boy, in summery short sleeves, holding a parasol (or umbrella) serving as a sunshade. The parasol suggests sun, and joy.
However, it looks to me like the parasol is probably too far in front of the girl to be effective. (That is rather like a Heath Robinson absurdity. Good intention but not practical.)
The Tree Frame
We have a tree and plants across the top as a frame. It is a foreground, like the surroundings of the pleasant park.
The Houses
But by contrast in the area just below we see the small, distant, crowded buildings and cars. Seven houses in front, detached but linked by fences. Each house has watching windows and each one has a door.
Behind, backing onto them, are five more houses. Same shape rooftops. Without windows. Adding perspective.
The Girl Reading, Relaxing
The girl is being pulled along by a dog. Absurd? Husky dogs are used in the USAr, in a team, in snow. But not usually to pull a pram or stroller, as the Americans say scribe, for a small sit up, contraption for a toddler. A stroller is usually pushed, not pulled. Her vehicle is almost reminiscent of a rickshaw, with the runner beside it carrying an umbrella. Fanciful, from times past.
The stroller is not a proper stroller but a deck chair. They started being folded on the decks of ships, then beaches, then back gardens. (Americans say back yards.)
She is reading. She is barefoot.
An Arrow
Look again. top right is an arrow to the museum. The arrow comes from a design like the top of a Greek temple which attaches to or turns into a tree branch from the tree trunk on the far right.
The Vase of Flowers
Under the tree is a vase of flowers or an urn on a pedestal. However, it is attached to either a securing rope or the rope pulled by the dog.
The Delightful Diligent Dog
The dog is wagging its tail happily. What is the skateboard doing? What is in the dog's mouth? If you can answer any of these questions, please tell me, and us. Thank you.
The Line and The Sign
Finally, I took a last look. Along the lower edge is a dotted line. The line ends in an arrow pointing towards the Heath Robinson museum, echoing the line at the top of the sculpture.
The design is so complicated, so elaborate, like Heath Robinson drawings, that I, as a viewer, found it hard to recall and detect the original purpose (a signpost to the museum).
Wheel Around
Wheel around and take another last look. I looked again. The vase is on a pedestal which is on two small wheels. They match the two wheels on the skateboard. So the dog is pulling along both.
The Cars' Direction
Finally, yes finally, there are seven cars parked outside the houses, or travelling in the direction of the arrows. One car below is returning.
All in all, a delightful sculpture. Worth a second look. Or a third. Or more. Worth a photo.
2 Heath Robinson
Many of his (Heath Robinson's) works are in the Heath Robinson Museum in the House beside the pond which has (in April 2021 had) a museum shop, museum downstairs with the current exhibition, more displays upstairs, and a ground floor restaurant - all of which were open and which I visited several times before Covid-19 closures.
3 Tom Harvey
Sculptures in parks all over London, and England. Featuring people, children, animals. Free to see.
Indra took this picture with a walking group. If you want to keep fit or keep in contact, or to promote your area, you could organize an outdoor walking trip, following a route, with a map, around local landmarks including sculptures, statues. London has several walking routes, including one from Hatch End station.
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See previous post on Tom Harvey.
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