SCULPTURES and visitors are being welcomed to Calstock Sculpture Garden throughout August.

The gardens at Blauwhuis, The Butts, situated between Calstock and Albaston will be full of creations from the Calstock parish artists and beyond, with space for more.

Barry Kirkham. “It’s a tiny garden, and I thought that it might be that we’d have too much stuff to put in it, but it feels like anything that comes, the garden swallows it, so we could have a thousand pieces if enough turn up!”

The Sculpture Garden is free to artists and visitors alike, and throughout the month hosts Barry and Nellie will be collecting donations for St Luke’s Hospice with commission from any sales also going to the Plymouth-based charity.

The couple have always been big supporters of the charity, but more so since a friend was looked after by the hospice.

“There will be donations boxes for St Luke’s on the door, so hopefully over the month we will have made a considerable amount come together,” said Barry.

Nina Wearne, partnerships manager from St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth, added: “We’re incredibly grateful to Barry, Nellie and the whole Calstock community for rallying behind St Luke’s with such generosity and creativity.

“Their sculpture fundraiser is a beautiful expression of community spirit; something truly special and refreshingly different.

“It’s inspiring to see people come together in such imaginative ways to support local hospice care, and we wish them every success with this wonderful initiative.

“Their kindness helps ensure that families across our area continue to receive the compassionate care they deserve, and for that, we are deeply thankful.”

The garden features an eclectic mix of sculptures and Barry is busy pulling together a list. No stranger to art, Barry himself was an exhibiting sculptor back in the 90s and represented Cornwall at the Interceltic Festival which has been taking place each summer in Lorient, Brittany since 1971.

Seasoned busker, Barry remembers that at that festival, part of his work was banned; he’d fashioned a begging hat out of lead and placed it in the exhibition. He was allowed to leave the hat but had to remove a booklet explaining it was to collect money.

The sculpture of a beggar’s overalls was around the time of Geevor Tin Mine closing and the miners being put out of work. He said: “It was about being out of work and having to make a living somehow. The whole exhibiting world made me think no, I don’t want to be part of this, and I dropped out of being an artist altogether.”

In 1985, he remembers 300 people paid 10p to come and view exhibits at the old Calstock Village Hall at an event organised by his partner, Nellie. Barry explains: “It was un-galleryish, and, a few years ago I started thinking it would be nice to have our own sculpture garden, with none of the rules of a sculpture garden.”

The Blauwhuis garden is located at The Butts in Calstock (PL18 9SD) is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.