The Hawk Conservancy Trust
14 March 2011

Local artist Amy Goodman was at the Hawk Conservancy Trust today (Monday 14th March) installing her striking ‘Sea Eagle catching Fish’ sculpture, which she is loaning to the Trust this Spring. Created using steel rod, which she shapes and welds, Amy magically captures the moment a Sea Eagle catches its prey. “I think the Trust is a fantastic place and has developed an excellent reputation for conservation and the rehabilitation of injured birds,” says Amy “I am really proud to have a piece of my work here.”

“I’ve been ‘drawing in steel’, creating life-size welded-steel sculptures of animals, birds and people for over a decade now,” Amy says. “Starting with careful measurement and reference to the anatomy of the creature, I make sure that the main proportions are correct before I start to work intuitively, with echoes and rhythms that go beyond muscle and sinew. I wanted to make a Sea Eagle in steel because it’s such a wonderful subject and was something I had not attempted before in this medium. I wondered if I would be able to capture the power, grace and beauty of this incredible bird. I had to be careful with the base, which could so easily have made the eagle seem weighed down and lifeless. I chose a simple pyramid, because it seemed to describe the geometric precision of the strike and the sudden flash of the moment. The top of the pyramid is reflected as if in the surface of water, confused by curved ripples from the point of impact. Like all my sculptures, the Sea Eagle is all about energy and activity – with the unfortunate fish caught in the middle! I worked from every angle to reduce the forms down to a minimum – leaving as much as possible for the viewer to imagine. I’m delighted that it will be seen alongside the amazing display of birds at the Hawk Conservancy Trust.”

Hawk Conservancy Trust Curator, Andy Hinton, said “It is such a pleasure for us to be able to appreciate the beauty of birds of prey in all forms and this sculpture, of an eagle fishing, will certainly capture the imagination of our visitors. It is very impressive. We are grateful to Amy for allowing us to display this magnificent piece of art.”

The sculpture will be on display in the grounds of the Trust until 2012.

http://www.hawk-conservancy.org/News/index.asp