This article was originally written by Elizabeth Hunter for SWNS — the U.K.’s largest independent news agency, providing globally relevant original, verified, and engaging content to the world’s leading media outlets.
Residents of Totnes, England, don’t have to go far to experience a safari — they can see an array of exotic wildlife just by driving through local streets. That’s thanks to artist Malcolm Curley, who’s installed over 300 handmade animal sculptures in and around town.
Following a career as an engineer and metal fabricator, the 87-year-old began sculpting as an outlet for his creativity. When Curley moved to Totnes from Bristol, he created a sculpture in a tree in his garden, and quickly began receiving requests from neighbors.
“When I retired, I needed something to do,” he told SWNS, adding, “My neighbor wanted a little pony for her granddaughter, and I made that one — and from then on, they’ve just spread around. They’re in all the villages around here now.”
Curley’s animal-themed sculptures can be spotted lurking in gardens, hanging in trees, and hiding in bushes, prompting one neighborhood to refer to its collection as the Bridgetown Safari. The artist refuses payment for his sculptures, which are crafted mostly from recycled materials, instead asking recipients to donate money to a nonprofit of their choice.
“In the beginning, a few sold, and I immediately gave the money to charity,” he said. “I don’t want to get involved in business, so I won’t take any money myself.”
Curley receives multiple requests each month and often works on two to three commissions at a time, completing one sculpture per week on average. He has around 20 requests queued up at the moment, he said, adding: “It’s going to keep me busy for the rest of the summer!”
He explained that interested parties send him pictures of where they’d like the artwork placed in their yards, and he then uses Photoshop to map out what the final installation will look like.
Next, he enlarges a photo of the animal and puts it on plywood before cutting the wood and stacking polystyrene sheets on top of it. “Then [I] try and use my imagination to carve the shape of the body,” Curley said, calling that the “complicated” part of the process.
“To finish, I make up a peandrite sand with cement, and mix masonry paint with the cemented sand, and it makes a creamy coat I put on top,” he explained. This top layer is weatherproof, he noted, and lasts for quite a few years.
Curley said his favorite pieces are the ones that make him laugh. He’s particularly fond of a Little Red Riding Hood and Big Bad Wolf sculpture he installed on an outdoor bench at Cockington Court, a manor in the nearby town of Torquay.
“That’s one of the most popular ones, and it does make me smile,” he shared. “I like doing the unusual, something with one animal related to another one. I love doing cartoons. I like doing the mad, to be honest.”
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