The 30th Anniversary of the Oxton Society falling on the Chinese Year of the Ox seemed the perfect opportunity for Oxton to acquire its' very own ox statue (Oxton is so named after the Old Norse name for the area when Oxen grazed) in a style similar to the popular Superlambananas that are now so synonymous with Liverpool.
Discussions between Kevin Donovan (Oxton Society), Louise Jones (creator), Mark Wayne Barrett (designer and Oxton Artist) and Alison Bailey Smith (Oxton Artist) looking at several ways to celebrate the anniversary concluded in the initial fun idea of an "Oxbanana" which was later adjusted in favour of a more straight forward ox with it's own uniquely stylised design.
While Mark worked on a design that would emphasise the youthful, happy, bounding ox he saw in the Oxton Society's own illustration, the name for the ox came in a different discussion between Mark and Kevin over a proposed cartoon strip for the Oxton Society Newsletter in which Kevin suggested a possible series of observations on village life from a character like "Ox Stan" ! Instead of the little old man Kevin was proposing Mark turned it immediately into " Ox Stan - the Happy Oxton Ox " and formulated the final look of the design he was after.
With help from Alison and technician Roy Lewis the three built the frame for Stan from two interior doors and wire mesh covered in papier mache and painted with further help from local children.
The plan ultimately is to strengthen the structure with fibre glass moulding and hopefully make Stan a more substantial showpiece for the village of Oxton in the future.
The Ox will be unveiled in the gallery on a special event at the Williamson (sorry, tickets only) and then available fopr the public on Sunday.
Ah! Oxstan is not another breakaway central Asian republic then...
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