HONEY….a love story with a sting in its tail…

NEW FOR 2008. The ancient marriage of Man and Bee is in trouble. We take the audience into our intimate touring tent and a future where two passionate survivors are trying to save the world. Trademark mix of humour, pathos, science and renowned design. See the home page for more details.

Here are some images by Eleanor Hooper and pictures of the making in progress, premiers will be in May 2008, see you there!.

Fete de Noue, St Helier, Jersey December ’07

Two week residency to create a celebration parade and finale to open the annuak festival of light, with schools and community. Giant luminescent fish were made with design students. The parade was slightly delayed by force 8 gales and thunder and lighting, but we got there in the end!

Kersal Dale Gateway Sculpture Project, summer ‘07

Two 4m high steel sculptures commissioned by the Friends of Kersal Dale with Salford City Council, a beautiful hidden gem in Salford. Each a giant insect perched above our heads, both guardians and welcoming committee. Each sculpture contains a poem commissioned from Lousie Oliver (founder member of IOU Theatre) to open our minds to the treasures of the natural world.

SCARABEUS CHROMO-VOROUS, June ‘07

A giant BUG, we don’t know where it came from but feed it colour and song and it grows and sings!

Commissioned by London Bubble and Creative Partnerships Scarabeus Chromovorous is available as a walk-about show, with Scarabeus’ closest human friend helping everyone communicate with this giant, tactile, interactive creature.

Pif-Paf’s Fantastic Travelling animal Troupe

Dr Ranulph L’Otter and his Associates bring us tall tales of real animals and real extinctions. Clients Include Salford Lads Club and BBC RaW.

Pif-Paf’s Edwardian Games

The Characters from the Extinct Animal Troupe run a group of games with an extinct animal twist. We engage all generations in their desire to win a Clementine through Bat the Solenodon, Pin The Tail On The Quagga, the old bendy wire game…

November ‘06, Lighting the Legend 2006, ‘Get Diggy With It’

Working With Ordsall Community Arts and Fiona Smith(Parade and Community Arts) Pif-Paf created a 7metre dinosaur coming alive and adventuring through the crowd with his handlers in search of what every dinosaur needs….true love??

November ’06, Salford City Council’s Witches Walk 2006

We created four Hallowe’en Walkabout Acts for a crowd of 5,000 in Blackleach Country Park. Working with performers, musicians and Students from Salford College. Each act had its own mobile set with lighting.

September ’06, Ordsall Community Arts Consultation Trolley

Working with Ordsall Community Arts’ team Pete made a trolley with which we toured the streets finding out what people thought of sensitive redevelopment ideas, disguised as builders.

July ’06, Highlands Summer

Pete and Ellie Hooper travelled to Inverneshire to make a pair of commissions. First a giant Osprey and nest for Boat of Garten’s inaugural Steam Rally and then Thorfinn The Mighty for Dingwall’s Viking Festival.

April ’06, Surestart Hyde Creative Evaluation

Pif-Paf worked with the community with whom we have a long relationship using sculpture, drawing, automata and video to evaluate 3 years of SureStart Hyde. We created a set of seven boxes with bold colour and intricate detail.

February ’06, Stockport Excellence Cluster Yurt

Pete Gunson and Fiona Smith Created an interactive Yurt to summarise and evaluate an Excellence Cluster education initiative, including over 150 participants views and work.

October ’05, Witches Walk 2005

We made a 10 metre long dragon out of old Playground Equipment, wings from slides, goal post legs…. He was surrounded by metal Bubble Trees and cages holding pumpkins carved by Fi Smith and team.

Spring ’05 SureStart, Hyde Public Art Project

Working over seven months the community worked with Pete, Matt Worden and Gowri Savoor to make a large triple Gate, Oak Benches, and a Textile Hanging.

October ’04, Lighting The Legend ’04

A giant spinning colour-changing Heart for Ordsall Community Arts’ annual lantern parade and show.

Spring ’00, Ordsall Bakers Born and Bread

In 2000 I worked with Ordsall Community Arts alongside Spacecadets and many others. I made the structures for a giant bakery, including a 2 storey oven, three carts, cranes and a 6 foot mixer… for this enourmous Parade show.

Community Making Projects

A few images of smaller projects run over the last six years, hurtling up Ancoats streets on homemade go-carts, making a Youth Shelter… Always teaching trade skills, woodwork, plumbing, mechanics

MERCi Furniture

Working as Maker in Residence for three years at Manchester’s Centre for Sustainable Development I worked with other Makers and New Deal Trainees to fit out the Resource Space in furniture from Recycled timber.

Private Commissions

Up to 2003 I worked on smaller projects, often making furniture and private commissions, here are a few things from that time, and a link to my old petegunson.com website. I still do a bit of this work when I’ve the time.