Sally Matthews at work on her Bison in Tyrebagger Forest, Aberdeen
The image is from a photograph collection that was originally stored at Kincardine Forest District.
The series of colour, square format photographs by as yet unknown photographer show Sally focussing on her work to create a small herd of bison sculptures in the forest. The evocative craggy, earth like images with shaggy mantels silently waiting in the gloom hark back millennia when forest humans could have glimpsed the live bison forebears briefly before they melted into the darkness of the natural forest.
Sally Matthews at work on one of her group of iconic ‘Bison’ constructions. Sally writes: ‘I had visited the Highland Wildlife Park to study European Bison and had made Bison for exhibition before. My work tries to make animals so the onlooker initially sees the real animal and not art. So I was excited to be asked to make something for Tyrebagger and knew instantly that I would make Bison. The Bison at Tyrebagger were made on a steel and chicken wire frame with found wooden shoulders, horns and possibly hips and ribs to emphasis the form. The body was filled out with brash and coir fibre (to preserve peat) and forest floor mixed with pva glue, which was sprayed with a waterproofer to slightly lengthen their lifespan. Dark sheep’s wool was then thrown over their shoulders and pushed into some areas to echo their thick coat.’
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Northeast Scotland , Recreation Activities and Art in the Forest
It's fascinating to see Sally Matthews at work creating her Bison sculptures in Tyrebagger Forest, Aberdeen. The photo from 1994 captures the essence of her work and shows her dedication to creating art that is not just aesthetically pleasing but also reflects the real animal. It's impressive to see the amount of detail that went into making the sculptures, including the use of found materials and natural elements from the forest. Sally's work is a testament to the intersection of art and nature, and it's inspiring to see how she has used her skills to create something that not only pays homage to the bison but also adds to the natural beauty of the forest. Comment left on 21 February 2023 at 02:56 by Teck