VIDEO: Eye ‘field art’ illustrates future of renewable energy

Over the years, Eye residents Carlo Roberts and Stefan Fulcher have ploughed fields with everything from Olympic rings to a remembrance poppy and a B-17 bomber.

But this year, the pair of ‘field artists’ have broached the environmental issues of today, by etching an eletric car outline, covering more than 200 metres, into the town’s landscape.

With the permission of land owner Tom Baldwin, the duo carved out their design so that it connected with nearby wind turbines, in order to illustrate the role renewable energy has to play in our future.

Mr Roberts, 49, a geography teacher, said: “I’m interested in art that relates to the locality and views from above. Ever since I did an art degree as a mature student, I’ve been obsessed with aerial views.

“What I was really interested in was combining a real object with a drawn object.

“After a trip to London, I was amazed at the amount of electric cars there, it got me thinking about electric cars and how few there seem to be in the countryside.

“The idea of having a turbine powering a car seemed very interesting.”

Having first collaborated back in 2012, the duo drew up a sketch using satellite maps, before marking out the design and setting reference points in the wheat stubble over five hours, with the assistance of 16-year-old student Samuel Seymour.

Mr Fulcher then utilised discs meant for cultivating top soil to plough the outline, which took around 90 minutes.

Their artwork was subsequently checked by Andrew Turner, from the Mid Suffolk Radio Control Modellers club, who piloted a hexacopter over the field.

“All I tried to do was get something that said car very simply, the design is half practical and half sporty looking,” Mr Roberts added.

“Stefan is the skill behind it, he’s got a very good eye. It wouldn’t have happened without Stefan and Tom.

“I’m just amazed and feel very privileged that I can do it.”

To watch an aerial video of this latest piece of ‘field art’ in Eye by Mr Roberts and Mr Fulcher, please go to https://youtu.be/hq3uOQeIX8U