Spotlight on Bempton Cliffs
To celebrate another road trip to Bempton Cliffs, I thought it might be fun to revisit some of my sculptures and how they’ve been inspired by my visits to the cliffs.
If you’ve never been to Bempton Cliffs, it’s a nature reserve on the East coast of the UK.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of seabirds make it their breeding site between March and August.
The path which you can walk along brings you eye-level with them and the noise is astonishing.
The whole experience never ceases to fill me with awe and feel lucky to be alive.
Nestled in the smallest of spaces on the sheer chalk cliffs overlooking the North Sea are;
- Puffins
- Gannets
- Razorbills
- Kittiwakes
- Guillemots
- Gulls and of course pigeons to name a few.
If you can tear yourself away from looking out to sea, turn around and there’s plenty of other beautiful birds to admire from Skylarks and Kestrels to Barn Owls and Short Eared Owls.
I was 40 before I saw my first Puffin, and I count myself lucky as many people have yet to see one. I was completely taken aback by just how small they are. Their bright orange feet gave them a comical walk I like to refer to as, “flippy flappy.” Which, is the name of my first sculpture I’d like to mention.
Flippy Flappy – My first Bronze Puffin Sculpture
I was 40 before I saw my first Puffin, and I count myself lucky as many people have yet to see one.
I was completely taken aback by just how small they are. Their bright orange feet gave them a comical walk I like to refer to as, “flippy flappy.” Which, is the name of my first sculpture I’d like to mention.
Inspired by my first ever sighting, I decided to sculpt a Puffin complete with wings outstretched.
I was smoothing his cheeks and he was looking at me when I realised I just couldn’t part with him.
He was the first sculpture I even considered having cast in bronze. A material that always seemed too “out of reach.” I felt it was reserved for only museum masterpieces by world-famous artists.
But deciding life’s too short, I made some enquiries and a few months later I had a heavy metal Puffin!
Arthur Flap & Puffin Billy Bronzes
As Flippy Flappy was at the foundry, I started work on two more Puffins in clay.
The first is Billy, he’s leaning forward into the conversation. Arthur got his name because he’s only in ‘arthur flap’ rather than a full flap.
I had no intention of casting them too but knew how wonderful they’d look together.
Well, I’d already started down the slippery slope so soon there were 3 bronze Puffins!
The three love to have a good old catch up and I swear they’re planning something mischievous!
Gannets
Beautiful Gannets – sleek, slender form, dazzling blue eyes and eye-catching yellow and white plumage.
A sculptor’s dream bird to create.
But what is so much more important for me is how tender and loving they are with their mate – it’s such a special bond and it has the power to make my eyes leak (yeah, I’m soft).
Razorbills
If the Razorbill was a song, it would be ZZ Top’s Sharp Dressed Man.
Absolutely stunning birds with their smart tuxedos.
As pairs they make formidable couples defending their spot on the cliffs. The distinctive pinstriping is a detail any top end automotive designer would be proud of.
