\n The Colchester Airborne Soldier Statue was finally revealed at the junction of Circular Road North and Flagstaff Road last Friday.\n<\/p>\n
\n The special event, which was originally planned for last year, was to mark 25 years of the 16 Air Assault Brigade in Colchester.\n<\/p>\n
\n Sculptor and portrait artist Amy Goodman, of Hampshire, took on the big challenge.\n<\/p>\n
\n She previously created the Pegasus statue outside the Merville Barracks, and the paratrooper in Aldershot in 2019.\n<\/p>\n
\n Explaining how it all came about, said: \u201cI\u2019ve been doing this since I graduated from a Fine Art degree in 1997.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cIn more recent years, since 2015, there\u2019s been an increasingly a lot of commemoratives, starting with a World War One war horse and trooper in Romsey.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cRecently, I\u2019ve had the honour of doing much more commemorative work, in 2019, I had a para unveiled in Aldershot, and the same chaps came and commissioned me this.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThey asked me to make another para, representing the last 25 years of 16 Air Assault Brigade in Colchester.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cAlthough it\u2019s of a man, it represents all the men and women that put themselves into danger to protect us.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThey\u2019re on the front line, and he\u2019s assault ready, ready to throw himself out of a plane, to be deployed anywhere in the world, in a warzone.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Amy worked with a serving soldier from two para who was \u201cwas a great model\u201d.\n<\/p>\n
\n There was one session to get the scale model right followed by two full days working on the life-size clay.\n<\/p>\n
\n The artist then upscaled the clay from the scale model, and there was a lot of metalwork inside because \u201cit has 400 kilos of clay\u201d in it.\n<\/p>\n
\n She then welded up separate cages for the trooper\u2019s bergen and parachute so she could add them after she began sculpting the figure.\n<\/p>\n
\n Amy added: \u201cI don\u2019t count the hours, it\u2019s a long, long time. To sculpt a life-size soldier, you\u2019re looking at a year.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cFrom the scale model to the clay to melting and casting bronze in the foundry, to then install and unveiling, it\u2019s at least a year.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cBefore that, a lot of fundraising had to be done, so the whole thing has probably been two and half years from the very beginning of the conversations to today.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cIt was a really special occasion.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Prior to the unveiling, Amy did get nervous.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cIt\u2019s always nerves beforehand, there\u2019s that weight of expectation, you just want it to go smoothly, you want it to be well received, you want it to become a welcome landmark in the city,” she told the Gazette.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cWhen the unveiling cloth came off, I felt proud, honoured, and I shed a tear, it was lovely to get the positive reaction.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cI see this as team work, a lot of people worked really hard, and the airborne family and friends who funded this to.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cIt\u2019s a thanks to everyone and a huge honour for me.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Next up, the artist will be unveiling a young statue of her Majesty the late Queen Elizabeth II in Romsey, Hampshire, commissioned by the town\u2019s council.\n<\/p>\n
\n She is also making a piece for the coastal force\u2019s heritage trust in Portsmouth\u2019s historic quarter; it is dedicated to the royal navy volunteer reserve in the first and second World War.\n<\/p>\n
\n Amy spoke about why she loves her job. She said: \u201cI\u2019ve got things on the horizon, I\u2019m grateful to be busy.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cIt\u2019s a challenge, no two pieces are the same, I love the range of subject matter, really working with the clients so it becomes a collaborative thing.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cI get to know my subjects, my clients, through the process it is rare you come up with the finished design straight away, it often evolves through teamwork and collaboration.\u201d\n<\/p>\n