A WEST Meon sculptor is preparing to unveil her latest project, a gigantic horse’s head, at the Royal Ascot in June.

Holly Hickmore, 30, has spent the past three months constructing the 3m sculpture out of clay from her new studio in West Meon.

Holly said: “I loved working at this large-scale. Moving into a new space with renewed ambition, I wanted to work at a scale which matched that.

“I wanted to bring that sense of awe that you’d get from looking up at a horse as a child.

“I recently took a trip to Spain, where I was able to see the Andalusian horses. Seeing those inspired me to use more round, abstract forms in creating this sculpture.

“I also felt that using rounder forms linked this sculpture to the moon, which is why I decided to name it ‘Artemis’.”

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Artemis is the name of NASA’s ongoing moon exploration programme, a name that Holly felt was a natural fit for the grandiose sculpture due to its use of round, abstract forms and the feeling that it was “looking down at you”.

Although Holly has worked on large pieces before, such as a 2m horse displayed on the Gable Cross roundabout in Swindon, she said that Artemis presented new challenges.

Holly said: “Having to physically handle the amount of clay needed to make it all has been challenging. I’ve also learned to work with stilts, on scaffolding, and with ladders. It’s definitely a unique challenge.”

Holly, who has previously held exhibitions all over the country, including within the Royal Enclosure of Royal Ascot 2023, described this large sculpture as “the first of many” and said that she is determined to “fill the barn.”

Once Holly has finished shaping the sculpture with clay, it will be sent to the Morris Singer Foundry in Lasham to be cast in bronze. Established in 1848, Morris Singer is renowned for being the oldest fine art foundry in the world.

Once the sculpture has been cast, it will be displayed in the Royal Enclosure of the Royal Ascot, an invite-only section historically reserved for guests of the monarch. 

Royal Ascot 2024 takes place at the Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, and runs from June 18-22.