Headstrong

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A wonderfully characterful and expressive sculpture by contemporary British artist Shirley Sharp, featuring a rather determined-looking face with exaggerated features and a strong sense of personality.

With its prominent nose, heavy brow, firmly set lips and head tilted slightly upwards, Headstrong has an almost defiant expression. There’s something wonderfully stubborn about this character, as though it’s made up its mind about something and absolutely nobody is going to change it! Yet there’s also a lovely sense of humour and vulnerability beneath that rather resolute exterior.

Cast in Jesmonite, a hard, plaster-like composite material, the sculpture has been finished in rich, earthy brown tones that emphasise its beautifully rugged surface. The deep creases, irregular features and visible marks give the face an almost weathered, timeworn appearance, as though this character has plenty of stories to tell.

Shirley’s sculptures explore human behaviour, emotions and the curious ways we connect with one another. Inspired by years of sketching people in everyday settings, she deliberately exaggerates features while retaining a sense of believability. Her characters often sit somewhere between the humorous and the vulnerable, reflecting the sometimes complicated relationship between how we present ourselves to the world and how we feel inside.

What we particularly love about Headstrong is its unapologetic individuality. It’s not a conventional portrait, nor is it trying to be. Instead, it’s a wonderfully expressive character that invites us to recognise something familiar in its exaggerated features and determined expression.

A charmingly unconventional sculpture that would bring warmth, humour and plenty of personality to a shelf, sideboard or favourite corner of the home.

Height: 23cm
Width: 19cm
Depth: 16cm

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