Big Fella Sculpture

A Silloth gentleman, Mr Peter Richardson, approached Ray Lonsdale a few years ago, after seeing some of his distinctive and thought provoking work, as he wanted to leave a lasting piece of art for his home town.  Its intention is to make the people of Silloth smile and to brighten their day.

The sculpture entitled “Big Fella” is of a man and his dog taking in the beautiful sea views at the end of the day and shielding his eyes from the sun. The Solway Coast is well known for its beauty and Silloth is noted for its glorious sea views and sunsets which have been be recorded for posterity by JMW Turner, the famous landscape artist.

A steel fabricator from Durham, sculpture has always been Ray’s passion.  Ray started working on the piece in March 2019 and sent regular photographs showing the progress of his work which have been shared on social media. There was a lot of interest, with people excited to see the finished piece on display in Silloth.

Cllr. Mark Orchard, Mayor of Silloth said:  “The ‘Big Fella’ sculpture is an amazing piece of artwork by Ray Lonsdale. On behalf of myself and Silloth-on-Solway Town Council, we would truly like to thank the late Mr Richardson and his gracious family for leaving such a generous gift to the town of Silloth. We can’t wait to see it in place and people enjoying it just as he wanted. It will bring smiles to all who see it. We are sure his family, the people of Silloth and our visitors will take enjoyment from this amazing and unique sculpture for many years to come.”

Ray’s work to date show his fascination with the human form.  Built from steel, his work conveys incredible sensitivity and emotion, often providing deep moments of reflection. For more information about Ray’s work, check out his website and Facebook page. Website:  https://www.tworedrubberthings.co.uk/   Facebook:  Two red rubber things/Ray Lonsdale

The sculpture is located on the seafront on Skinburness Road and is shown on the map below.