Our Emmeline unveiled!
What an amazing day. Best estimates are that we were joined by 6,000 people in St Peter’s Square, Manchester, many of whom had noisily and colourfully marched from the Pankhurst Centre or the People’s History…
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Our Emmeline and Sarah
Sarah Jenkins is a fantastic model. It has been a real privilege to work with her again. Sorry Sarah for the cold, the heat, the corset-wearing, the pains in your legs and arms from holding…
Our Emmeline: the clothed figure – II
In the heat of this exceptionally hot summer Sarah wears corset, dress and jacket, so I can continue to sculpt Emmeline’s clothing. Progress is slow but sure. Before I extend the skirt right down to…
Our Emmeline: the clothed figure – I
So on go the clothes, layer upon layer. The skirt needs a lot of clay so we build an armature that goes around her legs, liked a hooped petticoat. Then I spend hours adding the…
Welcoming strong Manchester women
In early summer, Councillor Andrew Simcock (Chair of the Emmeline Pankhurst Statue Campaign), Manchester City Council women councillors and women from the SafeSpots charity visit my studio to see the clay Our Emmeline in progress…
Our Emmeline: the unclothed figure
Call me traditional. As far as I’m concerned, the only way to get a convincing figure is to work with a model and start with the unclothed figure first. If it was good enough for…
Our Emmeline: working with the model
I am often asked why I use models, as it adds time and expense. My response is to ask, how could you sculpt a convincing statue without working with a model? If you want your…
Our Emmeline: Blocking-out in clay
With Our Emmeline’s armature complete, there’s no time to waste. On goes the ceremonial first piece of clay. But with half a tonne of clay to add, I have to speed up. Fast enough for…
Finishing the Our Emmeline armature
Tick. The first stage of the armature is done. The main scaffolding structure, including a ‘back iron’ to take the weight, is in place. From this early stage you get a strong sense of the…
Our Emmeline: unveiling plans
UNVEILING ‘Rise up, women’ Statue of Emmeline Pankhurst Friday 14 December Between no.s 1 & 2 St Peter’s Square, Manchester M2 3DE www.womanchesterstatue.org Timings updated 6 December 2018 The excitement is mounting. Only a month…
Building Our Emmeline’s armature
It’s early February. The snow is on the ground. The funding gap for The Emmeline Pankhurst statue is bridged by the Government’s Centenary Fund (Centenary Cities). Time for celebration and the signing of my contract…
Cracker Packers Cracker Packers’ statue unveiled
International Women’s Day 8 March 2018 – 11am As you read this, women biscuit factory workers – the so-called Cracker Packers – are unveiling my bronze statue dedicated to their work, lives and friendships. It’s…