How I created the Sweet Dream living statue

My Sweet Dream

When I was a child my mum used to sew a lot. One snowy, winters morning when she was sewing, she called me. She was staring and pointing out of the the window, saying: “You see, a little bird! It flew here to peck some grain.” This was my ‘sweet dream’ memory. It was soft, touching and had a simple beauty, which stayed in my memory forever. 26 years after I recalled that simple moment. It was during the final creation of my Sweet Dream living statue.

However, there was a long way to go before I could reach that moment. I began my journey when I was given a task by a customer – to prepare a living statue which depicted a simple trade – a shopkeeper or baker. I decided to do both! And then walking along Gloucester Road in Bristol, an area famous for having many little shops, I found the perfect dress then hat then shoes. I topped off the outfit with a flower. Perfect!

I painted it white.

Six months later I decided to go with it again. And…I dropped too much yellow into an all white paint, giving a white-chocolate result. That pinch of yellow paint moved me to make my chocolate creation. In fact I was so inspired that I ate 2 bars of white chocolate during the 3 days of painting work. I still have a chocolate wrapper as a memento……

I am very proud to present these photos of a new Chocolate Lady:

Oh no! Too pale. No character. No humour…. I decided to work on it again.

I thought the dark chocolate streaks and splashes brought more detail and intricacy to my Sweet Dream. Throwing caution to the wind I splashed brown chocolate blots everywhere. I was totally absorbed.  It made me think of Jackson Pollock, that this may be a similar to the way in which he used to paint. ( I love Summertime of Jackson Pollock in Tate Modern Gallery in London. This painting makes me catch my breath each time I look at it. ) After a few more days of adventurous and exhilarating painting, I was finally finished. The Sweet Dream lady was born and she looked sweet enough to eat! Her first day in this world was captured by photographer Claudio Alhers as she explored her new surroundings….

YOU TUBE: Sweet Dream

After lots of work, pots of paint and bites of chocolate, my simple white baker had turned into a chocolatey Sweet Dream.

Ps. What is Your Sweet Dream?

During my work on my sweet creation, I had so much inspiration since so many things can be a Sweet Dream – the memory of my mum and the bird was just one of these and doesn’t everyone have their own personal Sweet Dreams? Do we love sweet dreams? What could be a Sweet Dream for you? Your car, your coffee, the voice of a loving person, dew kisses. Just like memories of touching the sky. I made the Sweet Dream living statue with these thoughts. Thoughts of our touching cozy dreams.

Sweet Dream, living statue at the World Living Statues Festival

But Sweet Dreams could be much so different, couldn’t they?