Wednesday September 18th 2024
Community artist Yvonne Weighand Lyle (centre left, pink scarf) at memorial bench in Rosewell Park, Midlothian, with project participants. Photo credit Craig Maclean Photography for YWL Studios.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Luke Jackson
A local artist from Midlothian, Yvonne Weighand Lyle, has worked with over 100 local people over the past year to co-design a new set of sculptural benches for the county. The project is part of national, Scottish Government-funded programme ‘Remembering Together’, which is delivering Covid memorials in all 32 local authority areas.
Midlothian’s memorial benches have been designed through a series of creative workshops with local community groups. Residents of all ages from primary schoolers to pensioners crafted individual artworks out of tissue paper. These design ideas were then woven together to create the final bench designs.
The benches have now been permanently installed at 3 locations across the region: Easthouses Park, Rosewell Park and Angle Park, Penicuik. Each memorial site features a bench with a unique artistic design co-created by local people, fruiting trees such as apples, pears and plums, and associated flower beds, which will be tended by local gardening groups.
Lead Artist of Remembering Together Midlothian, Yvonne Weighand Lyle described how the bench designs came together:
“It’s been a long but inspiring process to realise these designs over the past year! In our creative papercraft workshops, local people cut out their own unique designs. These delicate motifs included a coal mining pit wheel, beautiful farmland countryside, views of the river Esk, wild garlic, local wildlife, ancient trees and the Pentland hills. This gave us a rich tapestry of design ideas to include in our benches. Each memorial bench artwork is symbolic of Midlothian and has a real sense of the county, reflecting our rich social history, cultural heritage and landscape.
“It has been a privilege to meet everyone during the course of the project and I am very thankful to all who have given of their time, taken part or shown their support.”
Midlothian Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for green spaces, Councillor Dianne Alexander, visited one of the benches and said:
“I was delighted to go out and visit the Covid memorial bench in Rosewell Park. The artwork is beautiful and all the more so because it tells the unique history and natural history of Rosewell by the people who live here.
“Midlothian Council has installed 3 new Covid Memorial benches at parks in Rosewell, Easthouses and Penicuik all created with the support of Lead Artist Yvonne Weighand Lyle, bringing together over a 100 local people, with teams of local artists, school children and local groups contributing to these beautiful benches, the design on each bench tells the unique stories of the area. They really do demonstrate the breadth of artistic talent in our community.
“We now have 3 unique sculptural benches in our parks, creating new, accessible public spaces in Midlothian where friends can meet and new friendships and memories can be made. They allow people a place to sit and enjoy our beautiful spaces.”
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