New sculpture in Sanderson Arcade hits the bulls-eye!
24 September 2009
Made out of clay and weighing an incredible three quarters of a tonne, a sculpture of a life size Aberdeen Angus bull is destined to be a big talking point at Morpeth's new £32 million Sanderson Arcade opening in November.
The magnificent bull captures the historic spirit of the market town of Morpeth, where Aberdeen Angus bulls were brought from the borders of Scotland to be sold.
The new piece of public art commissioned by the developers Morpeth II will be a perfect focal point for the arcade. Surrounded by retailers such as Marks and Spencer as well as Fat Face, Waterstones and the Body Shop, with its grumpy, “don’t mess with me” expression the sculpture will definately stand out.
The art work will be placed on the canopy which links the new piazza area with the Edwardian style arcade creating a striking focal point.
The sculptor Judy Boyt, from Wiltshire, is best known for her equestrian bronze sculptures and the illustrious silver Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials trophy.
She has thoroughly enjoyed creating the bull with its muscular physique and cantankerous expression! It will be craned into place next month ready to oversee the Grand Opening of Sanderson Arcade on November 12th.
Judy said: “I have great fun trying to get close to these huge beasts and that is the typical look I get whenever I approach them! I usually like to have a hands on approach to learning about the structure and shape of the animal’s muscles and bones.”
When doing research for her sculpture, at Bob Brickell’s farm in Oxfordshire, Judy was advised to stay in the car whilst observing one particularly grumpy bull! “This particular bull did not want to be a model while his harem was in the other field! But I got some great shots of him ‘stomping’ up and down the fence, challenging us at every opportunity!”
Work started on the Sanderson Arcade development in July 2008 and the scheme is now nearing completion. The professional team are all looking forward to seeing the bull in position.
Mark Dransfield, Managing Director of Dransfield Properties and Morpeth II, the developer’s of Sanderson Arcade, said: “The sculpture will be a fantastic new resident of the arcade, reflecting Morpeth’s rich history. We are delighted with the outcome and we hope people will enjoy this superb piece of artwork.”
We have no doubts the bull will be a great success, lets just hope it doesn’t get near any china shops!
For further information about the Sanderson Arcade visit the website at www.sandersonarcade.co.uk
Pictured is the sculptor Judy Boyt with the clay model of the Morpeth Bull.
For further information, contact:-
Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: admin@dransfield.co.uk
