Sculpture Trail: The Fisherman
The Fisherman, Black Rock picnic area
In celebration of the lave net fishery at Black Rock, and all the traditional fisheries that once operated along the Severn Estuary, we have installed a new sculpture at Black Rock picnic area called ‘The Fisherman’.
For at least 300 years, local people have been fishing for salmon in the waters around Black Rock using traditional lave nets, a ‘Y’ shaped wooden frame and net. This form of fishing was once a common practice on the Severn, but the lave net fishery at Black Rock is the only one still operating on the estuary.
To celebrate the fishing heritage of the area we commissioned local chainsaw carver Chris Wood to create a wooden figure of a fisherman wading through the grass in the picnic area, holding a lave net and with a wooden salmon leaping out of the grass ahead of him. Martin Morgan, member of the Black Rock Lave Net Fishermen, acted as the model for the figure.
The giant oak figure, weighing in at an impressive 1.8 tonnes, is the first in a series of sculptures representing key figures in the history of the Levels.
Sculptor Chris Wood (centre), with lave net fisherman and ‘model’ Martin Morgan (right), standing next to ‘The Fisherman’.
Gallery
Where is it?
Chainsaw sculptor Chris Wood with his Forest Farm Giant
The sculpture was produced by Chris Wood of Wood Art Works, a local sculptor based in Caerleon. Chris has worked on hundreds of projects across the country and internationally, including the Forest Farm Giant in Cardiff, an enormous 5.5m tall figure carved from a giant sequoia.
‘The Fisherman’ sculpture is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
