{"id":155098,"date":"2025-09-23T09:50:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T09:50:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/155098\/"},"modified":"2025-09-23T09:50:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T09:50:07","slug":"fox-sculpture-lowarnes-addition-to-heligan-trail-in-cornwall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/155098\/","title":{"rendered":"Fox sculpture Lowarnes addition to Heligan trail in Cornwall"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n The six-metre-tall leaping fox, named Lowarnes (Cornish for \u201cvixen\u201d), was revealed last week as the latest addition to Heligan\u2019s celebrated sculpture trail in Cornwall<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

\n Crafted from vivid russet rhododendron wood grown on the estate, the striking figure celebrates the rich wildlife of Heligan and pays homage to the estate\u2019s deep-rooted history and natural beauty.\n<\/p>\n

\n The fox under construction(Image: Sue Hill\/Facebook)\n<\/p>\n

\n But before she took her place among the trees on Heligan\u2019s Georgian Ride, Lowarnes was the subject of intense speculation in Redruth, where her construction began in Sue Hill\u2019s front garden studio last March.\n<\/p>\n

\n Cornish brother and sister artist team Sue and Pete Hill, and their associate Hal Silvester(Image: Hugh Hastings)\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cYou can imagine what the good people of Redruth thought,\u201d Sue told the Packet. \u201cSome asked if we were fracking or prospecting for lithium! But as it started to take shape, people absolutely loved it. It became a bit of a local attraction despite it supposed to be being a secret.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Children from nearby Trewirgie School, who passed the sculpture daily, were eventually invited to visit and ask questions about the mysterious creation. \u201cThey were so bright and curious,\u201d Sue said. \u201cIt was lovely to share it with them.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n The sculpture\u2019s fur is made from around 600 hand-split pieces of rhododendron wood, harvested from a 150-year-old \u2018Cornish Red\u2019 tree that fell during Storm Darragh in December 2024.\n<\/p>\n

\n The metal frame for the fox in Sue Hill’s studio space(Image: Sue Hill\/Facebook)\n<\/p>\n

\n The tree, which predated the First World War, is believed to have stood during the time of Heligan\u2019s \u201clost gardeners\u201d \u2014 estate workers who perished in the war, leaving the gardens to fall into ruin.\n<\/p>\n

\n Rhododendrons are a signature plant at Heligan, which holds a National Collection of camellias and rhododendrons introduced before 1920. The use of this historic wood adds a poignant layer to Lowarnes, linking past and present through artistry and nature.\n<\/p>\n

\n Now installed in a secluded spot on the path to the Lost Valley, Lowarnes joins a sculpture trail that also features works inspired by the poetry of Simon Armitage. The poet laureate\u2019s Dwell collection, released earlier this year, complements the sculpture by celebrating the estate\u2019s wildlife through verse.\n<\/p>\n

\n Sue said Armitage\u2019s poem Den helped shape the sculpture\u2019s wild and feral energy, but it was a photograph by Heligan\u2019s head of restoration Andy Wilson that truly captured the essence of the fox. \u201cAndy\u2019s stunning image of a fox mid-leap at Heligan became our core inspiration,\u201d she said. \u201cLowarnes has her gaze set on you as her prey.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n The fox under construction(Image: Sue Hill\/Facebook)\n<\/p>\n

\n The fox\u2019s eyes, made of polished stainless steel, reflect the viewer \u2014 a clever touch that makes you feel hunted as you look up at her.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe\u2019re thrilled,\u201d Sue added. \u201cShe\u2019s more than we imagined. We\u2019re very, very proud.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n As time passes, the sculpture\u2019s wood will fade to a silvery tone, mirroring the transformation of a vixen\u2019s fur after motherhood \u2014 a subtle nod to the cycles of nature.\n<\/p>\n

\n Laura Smit-Chesterfield, director of visitor experience and legacy at Heligan, said: \u201cWe are proud to be unveiling Lowarnes at Heligan. She is a glorious celebration of Heligan\u2019s wildlife and testament to the imagination, artistry and skill of Sue, Pete and Hal. This piece is a statement of intent for Heligan: the ambition of the work is clear and she is emblematic of our excitement for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The six-metre-tall leaping fox, named Lowarnes (Cornish for \u201cvixen\u201d), was revealed last week as the latest addition to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":155099,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[6225,6485,6486,1120,96,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-155098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=155098"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155098\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/155099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=155098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=155098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=155098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}