If you have travelled to Moulsecoomb lately you may have noticed something that catches your eye. The Fairway Flame is a land mark sign at the bottom of Moulsecoomb Way and was the result of a year’s constant work by year 10 students, the Art Department of Falmer High School and of artist Ben Thomson.

The students decided on the idea of "Something growing out the ground." like a rising flame, in the style of the inspirational Spanish artist Antoni Gaudy who they had been studying (Antoni Gaudy was a visionary architect whose structures sparkle in the Barcelona cityscapes like diamonds and emeralds in a pile of stones). Over 500 students gave their ideas, designs and clay work that then contributed to the intricate patterns on the sculpture, if you look up close all the small tiles are the individual talents of Falmer school's Year 10 kids.

Students Ashley Mulliner, Shane Davies and Luke Richards then worked alongside the artist plastering the tiles into place. Ashley told us "We’ve been working for a year on this and couldn’t see how it was going to turn out. I’m really surprised it has turned out so good." Ashley wants to train to be a plumber when he leaves school. Luke Richards' Dad works with Master Tiles in Brighton and kindly donated 500 floor tiles to the project, with the Bridge Education Centre giving the use of their kiln to fire all the students' work.

Ben Thomson, the artist told us "That there was a long time through the Winter when all that could be seen was just a concrete and wire structure and people didn’t think it was going to happen. But we persevered behind the scenes with the tiles. One woman came up and said it looked just like her sons lucky charm, she showed it to us the next day and it was a perfect resemblance of the head of the flame. Maybe this will be a lucky charm for the gateway to Moulsecoomb."

Youth Articles from Past Issues...