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Artist Fills The Forest With Handwoven, Life-Sized Willow Rod Statues

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to go out in nature and take a nice walk through the forest. Some people have the opportunity to do so regularly because they live beside the forest and can simply leave home and be there in a matter of moments. Other people have to go out of their way to enjoy this activity but when you are in the woods, you may find yourself coming face-to-face with something that you never expected. It could be a wild animal or perhaps a breathtaking vista but what if you came across a life-size statue of a woman shooting a bow and arrow?

As it turns out, if you are walking through the UK forest in the area of North Yorkshire you may just have the opportunity to see such a statue. A British sculptor, Anna and the Willow is crafting those statues out of willow branches. You can think of it is a combination between building a sculpture and basket weaving and it is something that she decided to try after taking a basketry class a few years ago. After being inspired to combine that craft with sculpture, she was able to make these life-size statues.

To be certain, this is not an easy process and it starts long before the willow branches are put in front of her. She begins by drawing sketches and then constructing a steel frame. After that, the woven willow branches cover the frame and it turns out some rather amazing sculptures. Some of the different sculptures she has made include women and a number of different animals.

“I … have always had a passion for art and the natural world,” said the sculptor. “I studied Zoology at Manchester University but never gave up my art! Working with a natural material opened up a new world and I consequently went on to learn the different techniques of basketry. I enjoy using the traditional skills of basketry and adding my own flare to the process. I work with six varieties of English willow grown in Yorkshire & Somerset.”

Anna and the Willow also make various decorations and baskets and she teaches weaving classes in her Yorkshire studio. The sculptures that she creates are placed around walking paths in local forests so that passerby’s and local hikers are able to enjoy them.

Using willow branches to weave baskets is an age-old tradition. It is unusual, however, to use willow branches for large sculptures. They can be tricky to work with but she has an incredible talent and uses that skill to turn out some amazing work.

Since willow branches are pliable and long, they are ideal for weaving. Care needs to be taken in the process so crafting the statues takes quite some time.

Anna is still sculpting actively and she takes care of personal orders for baskets and decorations as well as teaching workshops. She also uses these existing statues to beautify the countryside near her home in North Yorkshire.

“Throughout the summer I’ve been working on two large sculptures for The Woodland Trust at Skipton Castle Woods,” she wrote on her blog in Nov. 2018. “I’ve been blown away by all the amazing feedback and really pleased the sculptures sit so well in the ancient woodland. Autumn is my favourite season & I can’t wait to see them in the changing colours.”

Anna and the Willow is only one of the many sculptors who are using unusual materials and methods that may be considered unusual as well. In Australia, a sculptor by the name of Bruno Torfs is also filling the woods with his statues but he does so to send a message.

His statues are right out of a fairytale, including dwarves, elves and magical creatures. You can see them emerging from the trees. I’m sure that people must find it slightly alarming when they come across the statues unexpectedly.

The inspiration for Torfs’ statues come from various areas of the world. He travels regularly and started sketching the people from different places he visited. Eventually, they were transformed into sculptures and he moved to Australia so that he could build a sculpture park in the rainforest.

His message is to inspire compassion in people who see his artwork as they were walking through the forest.

Some of his work is quite refined and highly polished, including this young girl riding a unicorn. Others appear as if they are growing out of trees but they all show his skill.

A local bushfire in 2009 destroyed the entire park and all of his artwork. He began from scratch and opened a new gallery and park in 2011.

His work is so beautiful that it has been placed on the Victoria Bucket List of 100 Things to Do Before You Die. It shows that he is both skilled and dedicated because he rebuilt after losing everything.

It doesn’t matter if you are planning a visit to North Yorkshire or Australia, you have to admit that these sculptors have an amazing amount of skill and creativity.