The people and purpose behind the extraordinary Easter installation in St John’s Church, Wellington, was explained to an audience at the church on Monday 3 June by St John’s artist in residence, Fiona Brown.
Since April the church has been filled with thousands of hand-made dragonflies “as a symbol of Transformation , and to celebrate our hope in the Resurrection,” Fiona said. “The Easter project is really a huge Creative Prayer activity without words – where what is in your heart and mind while you are making the dragonfly is your prayer.”
The project spread across the local community to include families and friends from Campfire Church, Stawley, children at St. John’s and Sampford Arundel Primary Schools and West Buckland Pre-School, regulars at the Memory Café in Taunton and residents at Camelot Care, Oak Tree Court, Chelston Park, Longforth House, Nynehead Court and The Old Vicarage Wellington. The Christian Creative Network in Taunton has supported the project.
Church warden Christine Winhall explained how the dragonflies were made: “Fiona put together packs for people to take home and make there, after showing them how to do it. A regular group met on a Friday afternoon, and helped make up the individual mobiles.”
Fiona added, “It took 3 people an hour and a half to make up 10 packs and many hours to make the rings, so there has been a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ hours dedicated to assembling the Installation, during which time we’ve formed new friendships.
“One of the wonderful things is how this has ‘rippled out’ into the community by word of mouth and people we visit or our families and friends asked how they could be involved. It has been particularly moving to see how it has allowed people who spend a lot of time in their own homes and in nursing homes to join in and to feel part of the community. We invited people to afternoon tea to see the ones they had made, and sit amongst the dragonflies.”
Fiona said how touched she had been with the response of people living with dementia in residential homes who had been part of the project.
The installation has attracted visitors from the town and beyond, as Christine explained: “Fiona produced a leaflet for people to take round the church and reflect on the different displays – linked to various verses in the bible. As church warden, I am quite often here and have been amazed at how many people have popped in to see it and used the leaflets to spend time reflecting. These are people that would not normally come into church – unless perhaps at Christmas.
“We had a cream tea for the residents of the nursing homes, in amongst the dragonflies and they were able to look for the ones that they made and pray for someone special to them who had perhaps died. The school children have also been in with their teachers.”
And now? What happens to the dragonflies? Christine said, “There’s a service for the schools planned on June 12th and on June 8th there is a singing and creative crafts’ workshop for up to 30 children when they are going to make more dragonflies from recycled materials. The display is going to be up until the end of June when our curate is being ordained priest.
“As for the future, it is possible that the installation (or part of it) will go round to some of the other 14 churches in our Team, although this is quite complicated as the wire supports were designed specifically for the pillars in St John’s. Some of the mobiles will be sold to raise a few funds to support further projects.”
Fiona added, “The Dragonflies were designed in sections and schools’ and groups’ sections kept separate so they could ‘visit’ their dragonflies and have them afterwards to display if they wish.
“Our primary purpose was for people to join in. However, some sort of refunding would be helpful to continue with this type of creative project. There are 100 rings in the Nave and quite a few people have asked if they may have some as mobiles for keepsakes.
“We are hoping that people may like to make a donation of £5 to book one of the Dragonfly rings in advance, by leaving an envelope in the wall safe near the entrance at St. John’s Church with their donation and contact details before 1st July. Then they will be contacted when the installation comes down.”