Otter Name: Flo
Artist: Derryn Snowdon and staff at Buckingham Community Hospital
Sponsor: Buckingham Town Council
Derryn Snowdon, Inspired Marbling: “I began water marbling in Istanbul. We call it ‘ebru’ in Turkish and it is an ancient art of creating patterns on a watery base and then transferring them to paper (usually). Marbling an otter was an adventure for me as an amateur water marbling artist. The size and shape of the statue was a challenge and I needed all my creative powers to find ways to get more of Flo marbled.
Possibility, challenge, adventure: “I took the otter to Buckingham Hospital staff, who named her, whilst taking turns to try their hand at water marbling for the very first time. I taught them some of the practices and terms in traditional Turkish marbling and they took to it like …well like an otter to water! Flo was named after Florence Nightingale, and echos the flow in water marbling design and the water where otters live. Flo represents a journey of exploration for us all. The non-marbled parts provide a neutral background to display the marbled parts. The smudges and incomplete patterns draw you in to complete the pattern in your mind. I hope as you enjoy exploring Flo and our marbling art you will wonder what marbling pattern would you have liked to add to Flo?”
Location: The Council Chamber is where Town Council meetings are held. Built in 1983 the Chamber is decorated with pictures of Mayors and Councillors and a copy of the royal charter granted to Buckingham by Queen Mary in 1554.