Feeling The Way

The sculpture had to be perfect - so how could Natalie capture the character of this big, daft dog?

- CHRISTINE SUTTON

Natalie pulled off another piece of clay and moulded it onto the wire frame. Humming softly, she ran her hand along the spine, comparing it to the image in her mind's eye. When an auburn curl slipped from behind her ear she impatiently pushed it back, oblivious to the dollop of clay she'd left behind.

From the hallway came the sound of urgent knocking.

"Got it," called her flatmate Marta, as she went to answer the door.

Natalie tuned out. This commission, a half-sized model of Timber, an Irish wolfhound belonging to her grandmother's oldest friends, was proving challenging. Something didn't feel right, but she couldn't decide what.

"Hester's always joking that Don loves that dog more than her, so what better present for his seventieth than a sculpture of it?" Gran had told her, as they'd entered Hester's airy front room.

With Don out fishing for the day, it had been the perfect opportunity for Natalie to get acquainted with the gentle giant known as Timber.

The dog had stood patiently while she familiarised herself with the contours of its body, even rewarding her with a lick for the unexpected fuss. She was charmed.

Using modelling wire, she'd created a scale frame to refer back to later.

Now, working in her studio and with the big day looming, she was anxious to get it finished. If only she could work out what was wrong.