Swindog trail: Art student makes waves with contribution to trail

Big Dog Art Trail sponsor Arval UK was one of three event sponsors who set New College's A Level Fine Art students the task of coming up with an illustration that represents the business.

Arval is a leading provider of sustainable mobility solutions, including vehicle funding and fleet management.

It has paid for more than 189,000 cars and vans in the UK, with more than 35,000 of them electric vehicles.

The business’ head of sustainability, Zoe Maitland, said: “We’re incredibly proud that New College students have used their creative talents to design Arval’s Swindog, which we hope will inspire residents and visitors to make sustainable choices as they travel around the Big Dog Art Trail.”

Arval UK picked Mimi Salter’s design after she gave a presentation at their headquarters in Windmill Hill Business Park, Lydiard Fields.

In her design, Mimi decided to include elements that relate to current and future electric transport and sustainable energy production, and then connected these with the local area.

The sculpture, aptly called “Swin-‘E’-dog, Leading the Charge” is one of the five Swindogs located at Lydiard Park, and Mimi can’t wait to take her friends and family to see it.

Mimi Salter's Swindog sculpture (Image: Big Dog Art Trail)

She said: “I knew Arval was a sustainable mobility company, so I wanted to include roads and cars in my design and how to make journeys more sustainable for the future.

“I also wanted to make it fun, hence the bright colours that have been used.

“Going to Arval to present to them my design for selection was very scary, but it was also important to learn how to present to people and show my designs to the people there.

“When I found out my design was picked by Arval for The Big Dog Art Trail, I was in my art lesson and I was told by my art teacher and that was a really nice moment.

“To have this sculpture on the trail means a lot to me because I like seeing my art in physical form and especially out in nature, which is what it will be in Lydiard Park.

“It is exciting to think how many people will be seeing my Swindog.”

Zoe added: “The quality of the student’s presentations and how they articulated their creative thought processes were impressive.

“Mimi’s design was chosen because of her attention to detail and her efforts to understand our business and demonstrate that Swindon is an important part of our UK identity alongside our electric vehicles – all of which were conveyed in the Swindog’s design.”

Arval UK's Swinpup sculpture delivery in an electric vehicle (Image: Big Dog Art Trail)

In a UK first for Arval, two of the smaller Swinpups were delivered prior to the official launch by another zero-emission vehicle – an electric cargo bike.

Arval UK’s community pillar lead and keen cyclist, Stuart Chamberlain, made the deliveries to the Wyvern Theatre on July 12.

The Big Dog Art Trail is raising funds for Julia’s House children’s hospice to help continue to care for the most seriously ill children and their families in Swindon and across Wiltshire.

Mimi’s Swindog will join the 29 others that are around town and will be up for auction after the trail ends on September 3.

People can bid for their favourite Swindon sculpture at the Grand Auction, which is going to be held from 7pm to 9pm on September 19 at the STEAM Museum.

All proceeds from the auction will go to Julia’s House.