Goat-Keeper

"Goat-keeper" by Kate Newlyn (For Bronze)

This is the sculpture that I feel most about at the moment.

She was a goat-keeper in Turkey, I caught sight of her sitting in a dry field among her goats.  It was just a glimpse, nothing more, as I walked along a hot, dusty road on my way to sea.

Something about her stillness and patience moved me.  The fact that she probably spent a lot of time sitting in that field with those goats, I wondered what she thought about and how she felt.  

From that fleeting glance she seemed sort of content, not lonely or bored or impatient.  Just there.  And that was enough.

I made the sculpture when I got back to the cottage I was staying in.  It was one of those rare pieces of work that make themselves, no effort needed, just a little time.

I'm so glad I did.

I hope I see her again this year.

~ ~ ~

I'll be publishing images of these relatively new sculptures onto my website soon, (http://www.katenewlyn.com/) but I'll post them here first.