British sculptor joins online shop to help support rural Britain

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By Barnaby Dracup

Monday, 24 September 2012

An internationally acclaimed British wildlife sculptor, Hamish Mackie, is the latest supplier to join the swelling ranks of rural industries signing up with a new online shop called Countryside Marketplace.

The Countryside Marketplace, brought about by the Countryside Alliance, raises valuable funds towards campaigns aimed at maintaining the values, social infrastructure and traditions of the countryside.

Hamish said: “I am delighted to be involved with The Countryside Marketplace. I was lucky enough to grow up on a livestock farm in Cornwall. I believe the Countryside Alliance aims to promote an understanding of our valuable rural Britain which is often misunderstood.”

Each one of Hamish’s sculptures is painstakingly engineered. Projects often start with Hamish capturing, or tracking the animal in question, taking photographs but mainly working from life studies, as a result he spends much of his time in the field studying animals in their natural environment.

The Countryside Marketplace supports local, rural industries and Hamish pays tribute to a small foundry to which he owes a part of his success: “Five years ago I built my Oxfordshire studio near to Lockbund Sculpture Foundry, who cast the majority of my sculptures."

"I have had a close working relation with this foundry for over 18 years and have ‘grown up’ with many of the highly skilled local employees. I would struggle to achieve what I do with out their enthusiastic support."

www.countrysidemarketplace.co.uk