Sculptor Propmaker and Faux Taxidermy
A Curious Collection of Creatures Inspired by Idioms
Photography by Pictorial Photography and Charlotte Graham
What is Menagerie of Idioms?
I am over the moon to present Menagerie of Idioms, an enchanting indoor sculpture trail which I have handcrafted over a period of 3 years.
Debuting at the magnificent Bamburgh Castle and running until the 1st of November 2026.
Explore 21 familiar phrases brought to life through whimsical sculpted creatures set in theatrical installations. Within the exhibition you can expect to find animals of all sizes from a pearly snail to a 3m giraffe wearing a handmade baroque dress.
Example idioms are:
Bull in a china shop
Head in the clouds
Many hands make light work
Open a can of worm
No fool like an old fool
With the help of delightfully illustrated idiom clue boards by the talented Trina Dalziel, the exhibition brings a fun, engaging element which encourages social interaction.
Example of an idiom clue board
Visitors appreciate the intricate details of the animal sculptures and the story telling elements while guessing the idioms they represent!
The sculpture trail is enjoyable for people of all ages and especially creatives and families. It is light-hearted with many fun quirky details.
Vintage finds and personal items have been added to create unique charm.
Cedric the caterpillar is smoking my Grandad's pipe.
Mandy the rabbit is wearing a name badge which was gifted to me by a friend, it is from the 1970's.
The finials on the tiger surround are made from old French skittles and the upright posts are recycled table legs and stair spindles.
Above: Horatio and Pablo are Fish Out of Water.
You can find more information about the Tails & Tales – Indoor Sculpture Trail on the Bamburgh Castle website.
This sculpture trail is available to hire and is suitable for historic properties of all sizes.
Inspiration Behind the Menagerie
This is me and my two sisters in Branxton Cement Menagerie in 1971
Branxton Cement Menagerie
What is Branxton Cement Menagerie?
I first visited Branxton Cement Menagerie as a small child in the early 1970's. This was a residential back garden bursting at the seams with animals of all shapes and sizes set within the picket fence of a sleepy Northumbrian village.
Life-sized whales, giraffes and camels along side penguins, sheepdogs and owls. It was a magical place where the imagination could run wild, a place for complete escapism.
The naive, folk art style creations were created by a father for the love of his son. John Fairnington, a retired joiner, began making the concrete sculptures in the late 1960's to entertain his disabled son Edwin, there were over 300 in total.
My favourite sculpture, the camel and rider, can be seen in the distance.
I visited the garden many times over the years and each time I would be transported straight back to my childhood, where everything was the same just a little time worn.
Sadly the Menagerie was auctioned off a few years ago and I believe that quite a lot of it has gone to Ayton Castle which has just been bought by Alan Carr. I hope he is able to preserve it so visitors can enjoy it once again.
Branxton Cement Menagerie was so special to me that I began to fixate on building my own so that is what I have done.
So far I have around 21 animals so a very long way to go to get to 300, I'd better get back in the shed.
The Process
Sculpting the shape with foil and styrofoam onto a metal armature.
Adding the clay.
Adding the shredded fabric.
What do I do?
I look through old picture books and search the internet for illustrations usually of anthropomorphic animals, I especially like old Victorian postcards.
Once I have decided on my next animal, I think of what they might be doing and how they may portray the idioms that suits them best.
I print off lots of images and plaster the walls of my tiny shed with them.
Each sculpture has a metal armature which is usually part welded ( thank you son number 2, Harvey) and the rest is built with armature wire.
I bulk the shape out using aluminium foil , I can get the shape of the animal pretty much sculpted using this method.
Next is either a layer of muslin and glue or special self hardening clays.
The final step is to shred and layer fabric to create the fur texture.
The sculpture is now made and is coloured with paints and inks.
The process can take a few days, as in the snail, to a few weeks, as in the tiger or giraffe.
I don't always enjoy the process, it can be physically demanding and laborious but I do find sculpting to be intuitive compared to working in two dimensions.
