The life-sized sculptures can be found in the old cattle and sheep markets. They celebrate the farming heritage of the Lincolnshire town. The sculptures include seven Lincolnshire Longwool sheep carved from white Cadeby limestone. There is also a Lincoln Red bull and heifer carved from Cove Red sandstone. The bull was carved from blocks weighing almost seven tonnes at Graeme’s Leicestershire workshop before being transported and installed in Spalding.
Reflecting on what drew him to the project, Graeme said:
“I have been creating art in public spaces, mainly using carved stone, for over 30 years. The sculptures in Spalding were to be located in the old cattle market and the old sheep market areas of the town.
“These sites were incredibly significant in the development of Spalding as a market town, and I was excited to be asked to develop ideas to celebrate this heritage.”
Speaking about his creative journey, he explained:
“For the old sheep market location, I wanted to re-create the hustle and bustle of hundreds of sheep being shepherded through the town. Essentially, I tried to create as many sheep as the budget would allow. The sheep are a distinctive Lincolnshire Longwool variety. I used white Cadeby limestone to create these.
“For the old cattle market, I simply wanted to represent the sheer size and heft of these fantastic animals. The cattle were Lincolnshire Reds, so a red sandstone was used for those. Each sculpture was carved from an initial seven tonne block of stone. I worked with a Lincoln Red cattle farmer who allowed me to take photographs and measurements of his cattle. The heifer was called Mary la Fontaine and the enormous bull’s name was Walmer Talent.”
When asked about his future public art plans in Lincolnshire and beyond he said:
“I am hosting a number of community workshops in the coming weeks as part of the project. Local groups will be attending stone carving sessions and will be encouraged to carve their own cows and sheep!”
Since graduating from Loughborough in 1995, Graeme has created numerous artworks all over the UK. His work includes a number of memorial sculptures at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, a memorial to former England football manager Sir Bobby Robson, and most recently a series of sculptures in Caernarfon Castle in North Wales.