An Aberdeen wildlife artist’s animal sculpture has been selected to be in the running for a “world recognised” award.
Lesley McKenzie’s marine mammal sculpture joins 200 other artworks vying for the David Shepherd Wildlife Artists of the Year Award for this year.
Known as the “highlight of a wildlife artist’s year”, the art competition and exhibition is internationally renowned and attracts entries from all over the world.
Mrs McKenzie said it was an encouraging recognition: “I was absolutely delighted when I heard that the piece had actually been shortlisted for the awards.
“The walrus will be part of the exhibition. It’s pretty much the highlight of a wildlife artist’s year if they actually get shortlisted for it because it’s such a big, big kind of exhibition.
“It’s such a big title you know, it’s world recognised. It is something to be rather proud of.”
Picked up dead animals to understand anatomy
With 50% of the proceeds from artwork sales going to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF), Mrs McKenzie said the competition has raised a lot of money since it was founded in 2008.
She added: “It’s all based on artists contributing to help save wildlife, which is something I’m quite passionate about.”
Being a keen animal lover herself with “too many” cats and fish kept at home, the 55-year-old has always enjoyed capturing wildlife.
“I’ve always had a passion for wildlife,” she said. “I’ve always drawn and sketched and I’ve always done animal related works.”
It is this same passion for animals and some slightly morbid hobbies that has helped Mrs McKenzie to produce lifelike forms.
She said: “This sounds a little bit strange, but when I was a kid, I used to pick up like dead animals from the side of the road and take them to bits to find out what happened inside so it gave me a really good understanding of anatomy.
“So now I when I look at an animal, I understand how things are joined together inside its body.
“I understand how all the tendons and ligaments and how bones join together. So I find sculpting comes very naturally to me.”
Making artworks that ‘little bit different’
Using a Japanese firing technique used on clay called Raku, it centres around “firing clay sculptures without oxygen being available to the flame.”
The Bucksburn resident said:Â “You get this lovely crackle glaze effect with really natural colors. And it’s absolutely perfect for wildlife sculpture, it just gives you such a sort of tactile, natural look.”
Sculpting for over 20 years now, Mrs McKenzie said the process helps to highlight small details and textures.
She added: “It’s just something from an artistic point of view to really get involved with. And it gives you that bit of inspiration just to make something a little bit different as well.”
Mrs Mckenzie will not find out the results of the exhibition until August 31. She added: “So I’ll be extremely nervous waiting to find out.”
“Sunkissed” is currently on display in her and husband’s Frameworks Gallery where visitors can view the artwork and see Mrs McKenzie at work.
It will also be included in the exhibition which runs online from September 1 to October 2.
Conversation