Named El Bravo, the eight-foot-tall sculpture is the work of Zac Newham, a 36-year-old artist from Salisbury who turned his childhood passion into a full-time pursuit six years ago after working as an ecologist.
Mr Newham said: “I’ve always had this compulsion to create things, but I’ve always put it off, like I was sort of delaying the inevitable.
“We’re all susceptible to putting off those innate dreams, whatever you want to call it, as adults.
“Now, though, it feels like it’s gone full circle, and I get to be a kid again.”
El Bravo was built over five months, on Mr Newham’s Salisbury driveway, from reclaimed oak and Douglas fir.
It is the second sculpture in Mr Newham’s ‘Anima’ series and will be featured at the New Forest Show, one of the UK’s leading agricultural events, beginning on July 28.
Described as a tribute to strength and bravery, the bull features bold, angular lines and a striking silhouette.
It also includes an interactive head, which viewers are encouraged to pat for an extra dose of courage.
Artist Zac Newham adds final touches to sculpture (Image: Newsquest)
The first sculpture in the series, a kudu just under four metres tall, was created after a National Trust request and now stands at Montacute House in Somerset.
El Bravo, however, is still seeking a permanent public home.
Mr Newham said: “I’m really hoping he will end up in the public domain, where people can engage with him, enjoy him, pat his head, climb on him.”
He now merges his background in ecology with his art, using reclaimed and responsibly sourced timber to open conversations about the natural world.
Future plans for the Anima series include even larger sculptures of a lion and a wolf.
Mr Newham said: “It’s quite nice that it’s not tucked away in a workshop, that it’s out and visible to the public.
“I really love the idea of me doing some sort of public good with my creations.”
The sculpture’s size has already made an impression in the neighbourhood, with its horns extending over the pavement and covered in tennis balls for safety.
Through his public-facing design, Mr Newham hopes to bring art, nature, and community together in a way that sparks curiosity and conversation.
El Bravo is currently available for purchase, but Mr Newham’s priority remains finding a site where the public can fully enjoy and interact with the piece.