It’s easy for most animal sculptors to exactly reproduce the features of animals they are sculpting. However, here is a sculptor, who not only creates their exact replica but also infuses their feelings in her sculptures. This outstanding artist is Nick Mackman, an award-winning sculptor, who holds expertise in both ceramic and bronze animal sculptures.
Why only animals? Mackman justifies, “My art is an expression of my life-long love for animals. I grew up with a dog by my side and learned from an early age that every animal has its own distinctive personality.” This is what made animals a pet subject of her sculpting.
For Mackman, it’s not mere see-and-sculpt, but the exploration of animal behaviour. She never starts her work without making a connection with her subject. This is because she considers understanding the animal, its personality, its behaviour and its environment as essential to infusing their feelings into her creations.
Her work is inspired by what she sees in the wild. Her keen observation catches every nuance of her subjects, such as licking of the lips, the pricking of the years and the like. However, she’s averse to anthropomorphism, that is treating animals as if they had human qualities. She wants to project raw animal feelings in her works. This is what places her a cut above the rest.
Mackman has won various awards and her works have been exhibited widely. She had won the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Wildlife Artist of the Year competition in 2015. Her creations find a pride of place in the homes of celebrities, such as John Cleese, Dame Judi Dench, Chris Packham, David Shepherd and Viscountess Serena Linley.
Not only does Mackman sculpt these animals to perfection, but she is also a champion for the highly endangered species. She is an active supporter of animal and nature conservation charities, both at home and abroad. She currently resides in Devon in England’s southwest with her husband, her twins and who else? Of course, her two dogs!
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Nick Mackman
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