The project's resident artist was
Morag Colquhoun from Brecon:
"We started work in the autumn of 2005. We brought together around 15 members of Knighton Youth Club in New Radnor village hall. The idea was that this initial group would come up with a design and we would then bring in other groups.
We went through various stages of the design process with this initial group - including walking up Mynd Hill where the work would eventually be sited. We took photos, made sketches of the various ideas and talked about the kinds of materials we would use which we agreed should be environmentally friendly and in some way part of the natural landscape.
The final product takes a bit from all of the different ideas and designs. The field is long and thin so we wanted a good 'wiggly' shape. One of the young people came up with the idea of a slogan - "Kill your speed" - and even though we didn't stick with this wording, we kept the slogan element.
We decided to use wool as one of our main materials and then hit upon the sheep idea - putting model sheep on the hill to spell out a message. The word we chose - Renewable - came from the biodegradable materials we were using and from the season in that lambing is a cyclical, ongoing process. It's also quite a long word and seems to mirror the kind of flowing, loopy path which sheep often follow.
After the initial group came up with the idea, we then worked closely with Powys Youth Services to involve a whole range of youth clubs and schools as well as a Sunday School. Altogether, around 250 children were involved in making the 200 sheep models.
We made frames from coppiced hazel and willow, and the Wool Marketing Board donated all the fleeces. They're a particular kind of fleece called a "cott" where the wool tends to feel harder and it should therefore stand up to the Mid Wales weather.
The heads were made using a felting process although this was time-consuming with each one taking around 2-3 hours - so not every sheep has a head!
It's been a real challenge to work on such a big scale but everyone has worked together as one big team. There's a lot of interest in what we've been doing. Travelling westwards into Radnorshire, there's a long approach road ahead of Mynd Hill and the word 'Renewable' will be seen from a distance of about 1.5miles.
People ask what's the point of putting model sheep on a mountain where real sheep live. The point is that we want to draw attention to something which we take for granted. Farming is very important in this part of the country and wool is a brilliant local renewable material which we should make more use of."
By Morag Colquhoun from Brecon.
Photos of the project...Powys Arts Development Officer Lucy Bevan...
your comments
Amy Greaves, Llandrindod
Oh please! How ridiculous that any of you would seriously believe that they were real carcasses?! I thought it was a superb project, thought provoking and inventive. Was quite sad when they all disappeared.
Thu Sep 13 09:09:30 2007
Ann Llewellyn Llanidloes
Saw them last summer and thought it very witty indeed. Saw they were models from the road - I wear glasses and can't imagine how anyone thought they were dead.
Tue Feb 13 09:39:10 2007
Jones. Cardiff Bay.
Ratepayers lost out I expect. What next, a collection of bin bags. Shame on you.
Wed Dec 6 09:31:58 2006
Simon Botley
I Love Sheep Me
Tue Dec 5 14:42:53 2006
Carrol&Roger, Canada
This past summer we also saw the sheep on the hill and thought the message was thought provoking and very innovative! First impression as we drove by the first time at highway speed was "how did they get the sheep to follow that path?" because we couldn't make out the message! duh!!! And then did we feel silly when we realized they were models. Instead of destroying wool we should remember that it is a renewable resource and look for innovative ways of using it. We agree with Mary Sue ... Great job!!!
Mon Dec 4 08:15:44 2006
Joe Bulbeck
The best thing ever created!Awesome!
Mon Sep 18 12:14:21 2006
Julie Crompton
This was a very unexpected sight to see. I was actually horrified and did not like it at all. It felt really eerie. I made my husband pull in so we could look closer. It put us off going to look at the waterfall nearby and walking any of the paths. It looked ritualistic, something out of lord of the rings. It looked more a way to ward off any visitors rather than welcome you. Sorry but definately found it offensive.
Tue Aug 29 11:14:16 2006
Phyll Worcester
On my way for a relaxing day at the beach, I came across the most gruesome sight I have ever seen. A whole flock of dead rotting sheep, arranged to read the word renewable. Judging by the look of horror on the faces of other people who had pulled up on the road to view this horror, they felt the same as me. Yes I now know about the project, but many people travelling along the same road do not. Could I suggest a large sign with a short explanation at the sight be erected, as I fear the distraction of this project may cause an accident on a fast road.
Fri Jun 9 09:37:28 2006
Jon Pope. LLangammarch.
Saw your sheep on the hillside whilst driving home. We hadn't heard about your scheme and were taken very much by surprise when we saw this huge word on the hillside. We couldn't quite believe our eyes so drove up to the bottom of the field for a closer look. When we got there we saw what appeared to be a couple of hundred dead sheep carcasses rotting on the hillside and could only assume it was some kind of farm protest. Our two young children in the back of the car were very upset that someone could do this to the sheep. Obviously, now we've seen this website we realise they were only model! s with fleece coverings but at the time we genuinely thought they were dead sheep and certainly didn't want to go any closer to examine them. I don't really know what message you are trying to get across with this display, yes sheep are renewable, and lambing time does indeed remind us, of how short a lamb's life really is and how they are just renewable commodities.Thank you.
Mon Apr 24 09:51:46 2006
Joe King, Birmingham
My wife has just driven past them and think they look fantastic.
Fri Apr 21 13:59:01 2006
Bridget Ashley in Warwickshire.
Can't wait to see them. I must make a visit very soon!!
Tue Apr 18 09:45:42 2006
Mary Sue, Texas, USA
How cool is that? What a great artistic and youthful way to express these issues. The involvement and attention of the young people to the major area issues, is really nice work. Great job!!!
Thu Apr 13 17:27:43 2006
Have you seen the model sheep on Mynd Hill? What do you think of Powys's land art project? Add your thoughts and comments here::
There's no shortage of sheep on the rolling hills of Radnorshire but in April 2006, there was an unusual addition to these flocks of woolly farm animals. A total of 200 life-size models were placed on Mynd Hill near New Radnor as part of a land art project led by Powys County Council. 
