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Before I started work on Greta, I was given the go-ahead to start work on Emily Wilding Davison for Epsom market square. This sculpture was commissioned over three years ago but it took until June 2020 to get the funds. I made this sculpture first as we thought we'd be unveiling her on 8th March or earlier, but Covid got in the way.
(It was finally unveiled in Epsom market square on 8th June 2021.)
Epsom has made a series of videos of me making the sculpture from armature through to work at the foundry. I have been putting details of these up on the Facebook page and they can be seen on YouTube under Emily Davison Memorial Project.
Finally, I made the largest sculpture I have ever done. One-and-quarter life-size figure of Dame Ethel Smyth vigorously conducting passersby for Woking. This is being finished at the foundry at the moment and is due to be set on site at a later date, still to be agreed. We are hoping to celebrate this amazing woman in style when it is unveiled with orchestras, singing, and much more.
Due to Covid restrictions, I had to do all the mould-making, even though I thought I'd be sensible and give my arthritic hands a rest. When lockdown happened again, I couldn't risk people coming over to the studio. So there I was, alone, using all the knowledge taught to me by Carol Orwin, practising the skills I had learned over the last 20 years, and I just slogged away to get the job done.