AN ARTIST has revealed her inspiration behind the public artwork she has recently made in Arborfield Green in Wokingham.

Amy Goodman, a sculptor and portrait artist, created a set of three life-size horse statues, which are due to be installed in the Crest Nicholson development in the town in early 2021.

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Amy, who is also a keen horse enthusiast, says: “I created the rearing ‘Icarus’ war horse sculpture with a hogged mane and short tail, and branded his hooves with the date 1918 as a subtle reminder of his history.

"He was inspired by a Cleveland Bay stallion at Cholderton Farm, which was just five minutes from my studio, so I feel very lucky to have had a real life model nearby.

“I had a very intense five and a half months doing the clay work on my own, however this was a dream commission for me and I relish working at this scale!

"I wanted to capture the lively nature of the horses, so I moulded the clay using fast movements and finished the sculptures using iron-rust patina which is exceptionally vibrant and should complement the green of the beautiful surrounding landscape.”

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David Hnyda, Sales and Marketing Director at Crest Nicholson Chiltern, says: “We’re looking forward to installing these sculptures next year, where they will form part of a new bridleway being created by Crest Nicholson.

"Arborfield Green has been developed in line with our Garden Village concept, which aims to create community-minded homes surrounded by green open space.

"We’re pleased to honour Arborfield Green’s military history throughout the development today, from these new horse sculptures, to the original, refurbished buildings and the acres of ancient woodland."