I am absolutely delighted to be chosen to sculpt “the brains behind the suffragist movement”, an extraordinary feminist, Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy, for Congleton. The Elizabeth’s Group is writing her name back into history. We need…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Following traditional best practice, I sculpt the Cracker Packer figures unclothed first. Why? If you think about the clothes you are wearing now, where do your clothes touch your body? Our bodies shape the clothing…
First, I need to finalise the Cracker Packers’ figure armatures. My models come in, one at a time, so I can compare them to the armature – many tweaks are required. I also take lots…
