Stretching Rabbit Sculpture

After the meadow next to my workshop was cut, I watched rabbits enjoying the stubble and rows of hay.  They collected mouthfulls of the drying grass, pawing and digging through it for particular strands to carry off.

The geese hiss at them coming through the fence with their bounty – there’s stamping of hind feet, dashes and detours, but they’re not deterred.

Before carving my sculpture I sketched the rabbits in their meadow life, preliminary drawings to try out poses, attitudes and likenesses.  They got quite used to me sitting and watching them.

As if perhaps to check on work in progress a rabbit hopped into view and sat quite close on my scattered stone chips – a special moment.  I look at the rabbit and look at my half carved rabbit and know there’s a lot to do.

The grass in the field grows long again and sheep are ushered in, the rabbits move to enjoy the short grazed vacated pasture to the west of me.

Stretchy Rabbit will be one of my pieces on show at the RHS Garden Harlow Carr exhibition and sculpture trail throughout September and October 2017.