TWO county artists have come together to create an artwork which will be installed at the river confluence in Cockermouth.

Letter carver Pip Hall has started working on 12 recycled local boulders. She is based in Jennings Brewery Yard, carving texts created by ecological artist David Haley.

The artwork is the culmination of Riversmeet’s Viewpoint project to celebrate the Cocker and Derwent. It was launched two years ago following a Heritage Lottery grant.

Pip is working on a selection of rocks which David and she have sourced locally to represent the convergence of nature: slate from Buttermere, limestone from Brigham and red sandstone from a dismantled River Derwent bridge.

David’s poetic texts are a dialogue between the rivers and the people of Cockermouth, based on Wordsworth’s lyric poem ‘Resolution and Independence’. Each rock carries one Haiku poem.

"It's a wonderful project to be involved in," said Pip.

"I love carving poetry, it's great to work with David and also wonderful to be carving right next to the rivers about which the poems have been written.

"It's good to be working with reclaimed stone. These will be the most healthy poems for the people of Cockermouth - they have to walk to read them!"

Pip writes the poems on the boulders, which weigh up to two tons each - with a watercolour pencil, then a wax crayon to make it waterproof, before she starts carving with a chisel and mallet.

David said: "It's absolutely fantastic to see Pip at work. The way she makes the letter forms dance is exactly what I wanted. Her style of carving is perfect."

Using traditional techniques, Pip will be carving the boulders for the rest of the month. People are invited to drop in, see the work in progress and chat to David and Pip, on any Wednesday in May between noon and 2pm.

The installation has been developed with the involvement of Cockermouth Town and Allerdale Council, Cockermouth Civic Trust, Heritage Group and Kirkgate Arts Centre.