Wildlife
The Way Birds Drink
Today I’ve been finishing a couple of carved birds to sit on the edge of a birdbath. I’m not sure why, and it has only just occurred to me, but I’ve made them as if they are drinking, rather than bathing (I must do a pair as if in mid flapping and sploshing next […]
Joy to the heart
Last night I caught an interview on the television with Isabella Tree of Knepp Wildland, about the re-wilding of the once intensively farmed estate in West Sussex. Of course my ears pricked up at the mention of Turtle Doves, as they have been my preoccupation of late (for this exhibition). Throughout the interview birdsong […]
In the Workshop today – Turtle Doves
Said to represent innocence, purity and enduring love, Turtle Dove lore in deeply notched into our minds – seen in art, poetry, Shakespeare, Egyptian carvings, they were even said to draw the heavenly chariot of Aphrodite herself! The name seems strange doesn’t it, but they’re not in any way related to turtles, these doves […]
Owl Awareness Day
International Owl Awareness Day was actually on Sunday (4th August, 2019) – but I’m celebrating today as this morning there were traces (lime splatter) that an owl had been present in the shed overnight. The find fires my imagination. This year the Kestrels nested in the box, and I haven’t seen much evidence of […]
Just before Dusk
That is when I saw it, though they fly well into the night too. It looked silvery in the moorland evening light, and then seemed to disappear when it landed, and though I carefully marked the spot where it settled, when I got to it there was no sign. The Green Carpet is so […]
Mice are Nice
I agree with Rose Fyleman in her poem I think mice are rather nice; Their tails are long, their faces small; They haven’t any chins at all. Their ears are pink, their teeth are white, They run about the house at night, They nibble things they shouldn’t touch, and, no one seems to like […]
A Plain and Simple Stone Birdbath
How gorgeous it is to let the natural textures and colouring of this Yorkstone be the guide for the styling of this simple stone birdbath. I think it lends a homely, rustic feel with just enough chiselling to hollow out a bowl from which the birds can drink and bathe. A natural, understated feature […]
Owlet Sculpture
The Barn Owlets I watched last year left a huge impression, and continue to influence my sculpture. When finding somewhere to roost Barn Owls favour dilapidated, or near derelict buildings. Perhaps this is because they are usually uninhabited and undisturbed. They have favourite places to perch too, returning to the same spot on the […]
RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2019
In previous years I’ve sketched the birds I’ve seen during the Big Garden Birdwatch survey. This time I thought I’d try and model them in clay instead, sculpt them directly during the hour watch. It is a wonderful challenge, requiring me to work very quickly, where normally I would be slow and meticulous to […]
Turtle Dove Conservation – Exhibition
Last year I went to a talk about the Turtle Dove Project in North Yorkshire and was really inspired by the work that was being done. At the time I really wanted to do something to help too, and began to make my surrounds a little more Turtle Dove friendly. I have wondered if […]