Kingfisher sculptures from Cotswolds art trails raise £60,000
The organisers are 'delighted' by the project's success
Last updated 25th Oct 2021
The Kingfisher Trail project, a unique collection of 22 individually designed sculptures located across the Cotwolds, has raised a grand total of £60,000 at an auction in Cheltenham.
The pieces went under the hammer at the Pittville Pump Room, on Thursday 21 October.
Costwolds National Landscape has pledged to use these funds to work towards engaging more young people with rural skills.
Andy Parsons, from trail organisers Cotswolds National Landscape, said: "The Kingfisher Trail has been one of the most popular regional outdoor experiences this year".
One of 500 ticket holders also managed to win the Golden Kingfisher named Sulis, a special commission by local artist Guy Warner, through a raffle.
The nature-inspired sculpture trails ran across the Cotswolds throughout the spring and summer. Visitors enjoyed kingfisher spotting in quiet rural retreats and bustling market towns.
The two trails roughly followed the River Severn and the River Thames - and no two kingfisher models were the same.
Each carried the signature style of their creator, ranging from street art to illustration.
The collection was inspired by a range of themes, from climate change to the conservation of the Cotswolds countryside.
See the rest of the colourful kingfishers below:
Homecoming by Gemma Compton
'Homecoming' embodies hope with signs of new life (blooms) and freedom (butterflies/wings) and a homage to a tenacious little bird, a symbol of resilience and versatility.
Kingfisher by Hannah Dyson
'Kingfisher' is Hannah's version of a mythical folk beast, "a lord of the waterways adored by all the insects and fairy creatures, reigning supreme in his watery world".
Lockdown Love by Imogen Harvey-Lewis
The 'Lockdown Love' bird is an illustration of living through lockdown and the counterintuitive notion of socially distancing from someone you love.
Halcyon Days by Katie B Morgan
This kingfisher combines the artist's love of nature and daily work involving 'British Folk Art'. Katie linked the two using fairground, canal and other traditional paint techniques.
Morris Major by Inkie
'Morris Major' was inspired by William Morris wallpaper designs with a modern street art twist.
Walking With You by Albie Lucas
The theme of this kingfisher focuses on young people and how, like birds, they are free but also fragile.
Metamorphosis by Ed Swarez
This kingfisher is "all about change". Its aim is to celebrate the diversity of the countryside ecosystems and to highlight the constant state of flux they find themselves in.