Witchy Shennanigans or Science?
Whilst most kids were pushing around plastic babies in their prams, I had soft toy bunnies. In fact, my first ever word was, “bun.”
The first boy to ever break my heart was a little bunny called Swifty (short for Swiftheart after the Care Bears – yes, that’s how young I was) I’ve been unable to face having a pet since we lost him.
So yes, hares and rabbits always have a special place in my heart and are such a meaningful subject for my sculptures.
Mother Shipton’s Cave
I remember visiting Mother Shipton’s Cave in North Yorkshire as a kid. If you’ve not come across the name before, it’s the legendary birthplace of Mother Shipton – a Knaresborough witch.
It’s also the home to a unique geological phenomenon called a “petrifying well.” I remember seeing all the toys and teddies hanging in the dripping water and believed the magic of them being turned into stone was due to the witchcraft of Mother Shipton. I was in awe at the thought of things we love turning to stone so they’d be around forever.
I’ve since learned that it’s due to the unusually high mineral content in the water, but I still like the idea it’s witchcraft.
IMAGE – By Mick C from Durham, United Kingdom – Petrified Teddy Bears!, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=105934147
Turning bunnies into stone
I mention this story because it inspired a thought I had. Suppose it’s because I’m turning things we love into stone now! Granted, not in the same way, but I do think it’s connected somehow. Does that make me witchy? Maybe. Maybe it’s just the kiln.
But I did decide to re-make one of my oldest soft toy buns in clay and fire it, leaving it open to the elements to age it. It now lives in my garden and reminds me of my childhood and my never-ending love for bunnies and magic.
If you’d like to read more about Mother Shipton’s Cave you can do here – https://www.mothershipton.co.uk/the-story/ you can even visit it every so often.
