Short, check and sides: Volunteers cut checkerboard design with hairdressing scissors as part of 'live' art display

An artist spent hours cutting a design into a lawn at historic 17th century Ham House - just using a pair of hairdressing scissors.
And the stunning end result resembles a scene out of Alice in Wonderland with a giant checkerboard design leading up to the entrance of the grand manor house.
Caroline Wright decided to revert to the centuries-old technique of manually cutting grass by hand to complete the design.

Cutting things down to size: Sixty volunteers helped turn artist Caroline Wright's vision of a checkerboard lawn cut by hand into a reality

Checkered: The design covers 20metres by 12 metres on one of the lawns at the National Trust's Ham House in Richmond, Surrey

The grass pattern created is a twice life sized replica of the geometric pattern of the black and white floor in the Great Hall of Ham House, in Richmond, Surrey.
But Ms Wright did receive some help - in the form of 60 volunteers who managed to complete the task across 20metres by 12metres of grass in just under five and a half hours.
The art project called manicure is part of the Garden of Reason contemporary art exhibition running throughout the summer at Ham House and Garden.
Project manager for Garden of Reason, Gabrielle Gale, said: 'Manicure was a great opportunity to involve people from the local community and allow them to participate in a live art performance experience.  

Time consuming: The volunteers used kitchen and hairdressing scissors to cut the grass by hand

Cutting back: The design resembles imagery from Alice In Wonderland and Alice Through The Looking Glass

'Caroline Wright has already visited the garden in May of this year to perform Manicure but only managed a couple of rows of squares by herself. 
'The comments and responses from visitors was very positive so we decided to take it further and attempt to complete the pattern.
'This was never going to happen without help so we invited volunteers, staff and visitors to join in and work alongside the artist in an attempt to do it in one day.  

A close shave: It only took the volunteers five hours to complete the design

Outside art: The project is part of the Garden of Reason contemporary art exhibition running at Ham House through the summer

'We are really pleased that we managed to complete it and visitors are already enjoying seeing it and interacting with it.'
Ham House was home to Duchess of Lauderdale, known as a political schemer, and was at the centre of Restoration court life and Civil War politics during the 17th century.
It is also famous for its luxurious interiors and collections of 17th and 18th century furniture, textiles and paintings. 
Through the centuries Ham has survived war, fashion and neglect to retain a uniquely mysterious aura. Some visitors even claim that it is haunted by the ghosts of its past residents.