Created in May 2025 this common swift Apus apus was inspired by an early morning fly- by seen in the summer before, when a squadron of swifts swooping down to my window at eye-level, flew in formation past the glass. They were taking almost invisible tiny flies that hovered near the brickwork and, in the still low early-morning sunlight, I could see every detail of their plumage and wings. It was a stunning sight that I really wanted to capture in a sculpture.
Made from a selection of wool breeds, including Corriedale and Romney Marsh, the swift is life-size and flat-backed to be displayed against a wall, though it appears to have two wings stretched backwards in flight. One wing is formed with a wire armature, creating a curved 3D presentation reaching out from the wall. The underwing aspect is depicted in stunning detail, each feather delineated and shadowed to mimic the sight I saw at my window that summer.
The face is in profile, again using blended wool-painting techniques to capture the reality of the tones and contours. The tiny beak of the swift is captured in wool, whilst its one eye in profile is hand-crafted in resin. In perfect balance suspended from a clear vinyl thread which will disappear against the wall behind, the tiny common swift appears to be flying safely inside which ever room you choose to place him in.
Dimensions: Length (beak to tail) 20cms; Height (wing edge to belly) 11.5cms; Depth (from wall to furthest wing-edge) 12cms
He really is beautiful flying on my sitting-room wall, showing details we hardly ever see, as even the keenest birders typically watch them as silhouettes against the lighter sky.
