Commission Story — Masham swifts
swift sculpture trail
Swifts historically visit Masham in the summer, diving around the Market Square, where they are very welcome and a strong symbol of the changing seasons and the cycle of visitors.
Masham Arts Festival (2000 - 2013) undertook to commission a series of sculptures as a legacy of the festival. They were looking for sculptures based on Swifts to be sited around the historic centre of Masham.
I was invited to make three pieces for The Masham Swifts sculpture project.
Initially I submitted sketches of ideas from which designs were selected, and carving began.
The sculptures were sited on or adjacent to listed buildings and within a conservation area, so sympathetic and careful installation was required.
A small brochure was produced, containing a map showing the locations of each sculpture and visitors encouraged to discover the Swift sculptures as they wandered around this beautiful Yorkshire Dales market town.
