Page 35 - link magazine

swindonlink.com • March 2009 35
Sculptor would

like to complete
the job
The February Link featured Mar-
ion Pryor from Stratton who re-
sponded to an appeal on behalf of
Swindon Mayor Steve Wakefield
for models of The Watchers - the
sculpture of three figures and a dog
at Toothill Village Centre.
We were also contacted by Heidi
Bellmore from Redhouse who mod-
elled for the child in the sculpture
over 30 year ago. She explained
that her mother Pat Elmore as-
sisted sculptor Carlton Attwood to
complete the work shortly before
he died in 1982.

Pat with a bust of Carlton Attwood and
a resin miniature of The Watchers
Pat, from Longcot, said she
was just starting as a professional
sculptor when Carlton was commis-
sioned to make a work for Toothill.
“Carlton was very ill when I joined
him to help complete The Watchers.
He had designed the work and
made some small scale models
but it was too difficult to apply the
layers of cement fondue which I
did, shaping the features. The man
is my husband, the woman is a bit
of self portrait and the child is my
daughter.”
Pat also made the scale models in
concrete and cast resin miniatures
that were given to councillors when
the work was unveiled.
However she would very much
like to finish the job properly.
“Thamesdown Council would not
pay for The Watchers to be cast in
bronze. Cement fondue is not a du-
rable material and I’m not surprised
that vandalism and the weather has
damaged the sculpture.
“Finishing the job in bronze
would make it a permanent feature.
It’s a commission I’d like to take
on but it would cost quite a lot of
money to complete.”
For the moment Toothill Primary
will receive a medium size copy of
The Watcher presented by Marion
Pryor, which can displayed out-
doors, and a miniature donated
by Pat.
www.patelmore.co.uk

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