Lottie goes Home To Selborne in Hampshire

 Breaking news for the Wakes, Gilbert White and the Oates museum in Selborne. Lottie has been installed in the herb garden in memory of Natalie Mees. Lottie was my first figure commission in the 1990s. The full story is on my website. Full details of her installation and story will be posted here soon. We look forward to Lottie’s beer!

https://robertmileham.com/my-work/figures/lotte-the-waif-2

Prince Troubetzkoy

 I am sorry to discover that the PDF I had for Prince T is no longer available. However I have been reminded of him lately.

Rachel Charlotte O’Brien

 Exeter Cathedral was a joy to visit. I have not been there since 1963. This is a sad story with a good poem attached. 

The Mirror in Alice through the looking glass

 I remember very clearly being told that the inspiration for This mirror was in the Guards Club in London.

Guards Club

In 1972, or slightly before, I was taken to lunch at the Cavalry and Guards Club, 127 Piccadilly. This was to encourage me to join. As a young Officer Cadet at Sandhurst I was fare game as a potential club member for hungry Gentlemen’s clubs in London. 

My father was more practical, having served with the King’s African Rifles he had chosen The Royal Overseas League as his London Club having various Overseas branches and reciprocal arrangements with many clubs around the world. However:

Pressure from the Adjutant of my regiment was so powerful that none of us dared to do anything other than join his choice. The Guards Club, 16 Charles Street. All due respect to the Adjutant, it was a magical place and I am very glad to have been a member. An anti-room contained the looking glass featured in “Alice through the looking glass”, we were very progressive we had Lady members, oh horror! 😁, this was 1972!  I considered myself very progressive, my school was the first to have voluntary attendance to chapel! 😳

The Guards club in 16 Charles Street was a magic place. The bar was so full of “tobacco” smoke you could hardly see Geoffrey, the iconic Bar Man. He knew all the members and their drinking preferences. He was an expert on the weather, and every other subject under the sun. When we were all given our marching orders and had to join the Cavalry Club he came too and for another 30 odd years.  An expert on everything. He was indeed a very well informed, very well balanced and intelligent conversationalist. His retirement party is legendary.

All institutions have their staff to thank for their success and the Guards Club was no exception. 

The building too was a delight, unspoiled and original, I doubt it had been decorated since it was built in the late 17 hundreds! 😊, older than the USA, seasoned with smoke, blackened with wicked carbon deposits, but not a cobweb to be found!

I am sad to look up The Guards Club and find no mention of its existence at 16 Charles Street.

The Danish Girl

We’ve been watching some Scandinavian tv dramas recently which reminded me of my Danish girl. This, a second, larger version of this work, came about from a commission request from Denmark, home of the Little Mermaid. Perhaps one shouldn’t like ones own work  :) but I really do like this one. I must think of a suitable name. The following pictures were taken on the way to the foundry a couple of years ago. 

This is what I say on my website about how the first version came about.

Strictly speaking this is a larger version of an old work which I did for a client some years ago. She has an interesting story. I spotted a discarded colour supplement on the floor of my studio which had been placed there to clear up a wax spill. What caught my eye was a silhouette of a girl on one leg. It was an illustration for an article entitled “Save your Heart, Exercise”.

I rescued it and attached it to my studio wall as an interesting pose for future reference.

Some time later a client came in to see progress on a commission and happened to see it on the wall and without hesitation insisted I make him one! So I did a one off.

I have just completed this larger version of her. The pose is quite hard to do and somehow I feel “Save2” is quite special.

Blue Monday

So it’s blue Monday! I read that today is the most depressing day of the year. Well a year ago I posted some pictures of a work in progress so to cheer everyone up, here are some pictures taken last summer after Camaraderie was properly installed.

Happy Christmas Richie

Thank you Richie for my Christmas card. https://robertmileham.com/richie-labradoodle

Save Your Heart, Excercise!

I have just delivered my latest work to the foundry. Strictly speaking this is an old work which I did for a client some years ago. She has an interesting story. I spotted a discarded colour supplement on the floor of my studio which had been placed there to clear up a wax spill. What caught my eye was a silhouette of a girl on one leg. It was an illustration for an article entitled “Save your Heart, Exercise”.

I rescued it and attached it to my studio wall as an interesting pose for future reference.

Some time later a client came in to see progress on a commission and happened to see it on the wall and without hesitation insisted I make him one! So I did a one off.

I have just completed a larger version of her. She now is 50cm high. The pose is quite hard to do and somehow I feel Save2 is quite special.

If you are interested I am doing an edition of 9 in bronze. Here she is “Save Your Heart, Exercise II in the original clay. 

The Alpine Sculpture

"Kara", a female of a French gun dog breed called a Korthal Griffin, turned out to be the most endearing dog which took to us immediately upon our arrival at her French home.  She has had an interesting history - she was rescued as a youngster off the mountains nearby and had been living wild with a companion who was also successfully rehomed..

As you can see from the pictures to follow, my client wanted a double figure work; master (the boy) and Kara. The setting is idyllic, a wild woodland garden with a fast flowing stream sweeping around its far border, in a crescent shape, all against the magnificent backdrop of the Alps. The house is a classical alpine chalet that looks down from a height onto the garden.  The duo composition is destined for 'pride of place' in perfect sight from the balcony and living rooms.

The boy is talking quietly and affectionately to his willing friend whilst pointing to an unknown quarry some distance away. Kara sits obediently with a devoted expression towards her young master and with a twinkle in her eye.

I have been very lucky to have been given these beautiful life size commissions which are now both off to start their protracted processes of becoming bronze.

Labradoodle

Great new project "Richie" 

John Angel Sculptor

Central, in Kings Square Bridgwater is this amazing war memorial which caught my eye recently. I looked for a signature but could find none. I am assured however that it is signed and it is 'an Angel', that is John Angel, a celebrated sculptor on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. He was born in Devon (South West England) and died in the USA. He had superlative training at the Royal Academy Schools under Colton and Frampton. 

This work is somewhat unusual and very complicated. The right hand holds a globe which is reminiscent of Alfred Gilbert. The children figures, which are a little difficult to distinguish at first sight, are intriguing. The piece is filled with allegorical ideas: see more detail https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgwater_War_Memorial

Green

Really is this green. Quantocks Old England 

New Flying Spaniel

I have been commissioned to 'do' another spaniel. Here is the clay original. She will be 'feathered' at the wax stage and the he pillar removed.

 

'Hermione' a new 'Girl On Tummy'

I was commissioned by an old friend to do another girl on tummy. The original was one of my first works back in the last century! She was very popular and sold out quite quickly. 'Hermione' I hope will be appreciated too, in another eight households. The first has now made the trip to her new home on the Sunshine Coast in Australia. 

New Work, Sculpture

One has to start with something! These two photos were take about a month ago. 

Later pictures will follow!

New Spaniel

New Girl On Tummy!

Anthony Gormley

Well here's a surprise in the Lake District. I guess that is it either a Gormley or 'After Gormley' couldn't get close enough to see a signature. Like the next work it is all about 'location'!

This one is a little different viewed from other angles.

Quite clever! Full of holes in it if you look closely. 

Coniston Water.

Truth

Probable one of his better works, I saw this yesterday in Bristol Art Museum. It's was well worth a visit if you are in the centre of Bristol. Derwent Wood RA

Robert Mileham.com

Unfortunately a couple of improvement tweaks on my website have caused some photos of my work to "disappear", we are working hard to correct it. Some works appear on this site however.

Mattel Civitali

Another monument to the talented in Lucca is this great work.