Wildlife Sculpture and Model  Making
by Pam Knight

Pam’s sculptures are a realistic portrayal of the essential character of a species, capturing a moment in time, a typical attitude, behaviour or interaction between individuals.

The inspiration for her sculpture comes from observation and a familiarity with the birds and other creatures she encounters on her daily walks in the countryside around her home in mid Wales and on holidays visiting other parts of the UK 

The composition and design of each sculpture is usually sparked by a special sighting or particularly close up encounter with a species.
 
“One autumn the hillside above our house was invaded by flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares. Numbering many hundreds of birds, they generated a constant background chattering and hubbub for several days until they had stripped bare all the rowans and hawthorns of their heavy crop of berries.”

Sculpture
My techniques of sculpture and model making are self-taught
and all my work is of British wildlife. Birds are my main subjects although reptiles and insects also feature among my pieces, and while most are life-size, a few are smaller and some of the insects are much larger than life.
The first question everyone asks “What are they made of?”
Each work is created using an armature of wire and shaped Styrofoam onto which the final shaping is built up using epoxy putty. Surface detail is sculpted before the putty hardens and
the sculptures are painted using acrylic paints.
Gallery

Model Making

Long established as a Wildlife Model Maker Pam is highly regarded for her production of detailed and accurate models of wildlife for educational work and displays in visitor centres and museums.
First-hand knowledge of the species to be produced is very useful, although not always possible, and this is supported by the gathering of data, measurements, structural details, images and drawings to work from.

There is often an element of working out how best to attach or mount a model to match the display requirements, with supports needing to be incorporated from the start.

Each work is created on an armature of wire and/or shaped Styrofoam to provide the underlying form and positioning of the main structural features such as the wings, tail and legs.
The elements comprising these structural features are then variously constructed: feathers and wings are produced using different grades of paper, card, textile, styrene, pvc and acrylic sheets; legs, feet, beaks, other appendages and surface detail are carved in wood or sculpted using polymer clay and epoxy putty; for birds and mammals taxidermy glass eyes are used.
Often the most time consuming and final stage is the addition of colour, careful hand-painting using acrylic paints with addition of a protective varnish when required.

Flight models are suspended using clear nylon fishing line while other subjects can be free standing, set in appropriate habitat surroundings or wall mounted.

A few of the large scale invertebrate models commissioned by the Royal Parks Foundation Education Centre for use in a People’s Postcode Lottery funded project, Mission: Invertebrate.
The project's aim was to engage schools and families with the wonders of insects and other invertebrates. 

 About

Pam’s interest in natural history goes back as far as she can remember. After gaining a degree in Botany & Zoology at Nottingham University her ambition of working on a nature reserve, unheard of for a girl in those days, was quickly fulfilled when she began employment with the RSPB as a summer warden. She continued a career in nature conservation, working alongside her now husband, Richard Knight, at Rye Harbour Local Nature Reserve and later for the Dorset Wildlife Trust.
During this time she also used her natural artistic ability to illustrate nature reserve leaflets and information panels and this led on to the production of wildlife models for use in educational displays at visitor centres.
In 1986 they moved to mid Wales where Richard took up the post of RSPB Warden at Carngafallt Nature Reserve. Here they settled and raised their two daughters. Over the years Pam & Richard bought and renovated an old farmhouse, converted an outbuilding into a self-catering holiday cottage and created a nature reserve from their 10 acre land-holding.
Pam’s model making work continued and developed and when a few of the orders were too much for her to manage on her own she turned to daughter Beth to help out. Beth is equally talented and was soon creating 3D work of a high standard although her main artistic passion is the creation of lino prints - see www.bethknightartist.co.uk
Now Pam’s main work is producing her sculptures, focusing on pieces that she wants to create rather than working to order. Although ideas and inspiration abound, a sculpture can take many hours of meticulous work to complete, so she always has a long list of subjects waiting to be brought to life. 

Contact

For more information or any other inquiries about the sculptures or model making please contact Pam on 01597 811169.
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