angler Loc: StHelens England

....In 2008 St Helens England took part in Channel 4's TV "The Big Art Project" along with several other sites. The project culminated in the unveiling of Dream, a 66-foot-high (20 m) sculpture located on the old Sutton Manor Colliery site.[1][3]

St Helens retains strong cultural ties to the coal industry and has several monuments including the wrought iron gates of Sutton Manor Colliery,[4] as well as the 1995 town centre installation by Thompson Dagnall known as "The Landings" (depicting individuals working a coal seam) and Arthur Fleischmann's Anderton Shearer monument (a piece of machinery first used at the Ravenhead Mine).

The council and local residents (including approximately 15 former miners from the colliery) were involved in the consultation and commission process through which Dream was selected.[1] The plans involved a full landscaping of the surrounding area on land previously allowed to go wild after the closure of the pit.

The sculpture
Dream consists of an elongated white structure 66 feet (20 m) tall, weighing 500 tonnes (490 long tons; 550 short tons), which has been cast to resemble the head and neck of a young woman with her eyes closed in meditation. The structure is coated in sparkling white Spanish dolomite, as a contrast to the coal which used to be mined here. It cost nearly £1.9 million and it is hoped it will become as powerful a symbol in North West England as Antony Gormley's Angel of the North is in North East England.[5]

Jaume Plensa himself stated "When I first came to the site I immediately thought something coming out of the earth was needed. I decided to do a head of a nine-year-old girl which is representing this idea of the future. It's unique."[1]

1The photo was'nt distorted,that is the actual shape.

(Download)

2 This one is my daft idea of trying to make it look even Dreamier

(Download)

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I do like the sky more in the second!

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

I like your daft idea, Jim.

angler Loc: StHelens England

Thank you very much for taking, the time to look in and comment Longshadow I always appreciate it.Glad you liked it.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Jim, I like your unique version. Great approach. You saved me a trip to see it. Stan

dennis47 Loc: MT

I love the edited version. Nice work

angler Loc: StHelens England

Thank you very much for looking in Ken I always appreciate your visits.Glad you liked it.

John Lawrence

An interesting narrative and a beautiful statue, Jim. I especially like the effect you created in the second image. Well done as always.

angler Loc: StHelens England

Thank you very much for looking in Stan I always appreciate your visits.Glad-you liked it.

angler Loc: StHelens England

Thank you very much much Dennis I’m glad you liked it and thank you also for looking in I always appreciate it.

fjdarling Loc: Mesa, Arizona, USA

I agree with everyone, the dramatic sky does help the photo. Nice work!

angler Loc: StHelens England

Thank you very much for looking in John I really appreciate it and it looks like the one with the effect is becoming the favourite.Glad you liked it.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Excellent post, Jim! Photos and narration.

angler Loc: StHelens England

Thank you very much for looking in Fjdarling i appreciate it very much.Glad you liked it.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Beautifully done, Jim. The downloads are beautiful, especially the creative sky image. Knowing the history of the site, it must be quite moving to see the Dream in person.