112 SIDELINES OCTOBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Continued on page 114
By Maria Wynne
Sidelines’ Writer from across the Pond
T
om Hill is a self-taught sculptor based in Hertfordshire in
the UK and for the last six years has been working with
recycled horseshoes to create life size animal sculptures.
Tom utilizes a gas forge, anvil and hammer as well as various
welding techniques to heat and shape the horseshoes to create
his sculptures.
Tom specializes in equine works but has also created a wide
range of sculptures such as hedgehogs, squirrels, ducks, herons,
swans, pigs, hares, badgers, different breeds of dogs, lions,
cheetahs, stags, camels, horses and elephants, all of which are
life size.
During May 2006, Tom exhibited at the Living Crafts at Hatfeld
House from which he received many orders and commissions
including one from Lady Salisbury (from Hatfeld House) for
two life sized elephants for her husband’s birthday. These were
delivered in September 2006 and are now on display with their
new baby elephant in their private garden at Hatfeld House. They
were featured on BBC London News.
To date, much of Tom’s work has been sold internationally with
pieces going as far as America and Canada. Tom has an ambition
to create a 30 foot rearing horse made from horseshoes; but he is
just looking for the right place for it to be exhibited. To see more of
Tom’s work, visit www.tomhillsculpture.co.uk.
At the time of the interview, a very obliging Tom was sipping a
beer in South Croatia. He was supposed to be relaxing on holiday.
A huge example of your spectacular work was featured
beside the last cross-country fence at the Olympics in
Greenwich. How did this come about?
Sue Benson and Jonathon Clissold from London Eventing (the
company in charge of designing and constructing the cross-county
e
course for the Olympics) approached me whilst I was exhibiting
at Burghley Horse Trials in 2010. We started talking and a few
ideas were mentioned. A few months and one hundred emails
later the design was fnalized: Two life size eventing horses
jumping towards a large horseshoe. The fence was later called
“The Olympic Horses” and it was to be the fnal fence.
The horses took six weeks each to create, with the second taking
slightly longer as I wanted them to be as similar to each other as
possible. After the eventing the horses were moved outside to the
front of the Queen’s house in Greenwich Park for the remainder
of the Olympics. On August 17th I will take ownership of them
again. The horses will then be auctioned off at Summer Place
Auctions in conjunction with Sotheby’s Garden Statuary Auction
at Billingshurst on October 23rd.
You have said you would love to fnd a dream location for a
30 foot high creation of yours.
The dream of a 30 foot high horse is currently becoming closer
to a reality and is under discussion with a client in the United
States. It is still in the early stages of discussion but I am hopeful
that we will be able to pull it off.
Any dream commissions?
I always have a number of dream commissions going through
my head and once I have achieved one I am straight onto the next
one. As long as I can, I will always be trying to think of my next
sculpture. I have an ever growing list of ideas, plans and sketches
of sculptures which I WILL eventually get round to making as soon
as I can make some time for myself.
What has been your favourite piece of work?
That is a tough one. I defnitely enjoy creating the larger pieces
more than the smaller ones. I love throwing myself into a two or
“The Olympic Horses” -
Tom’s two large horses
were featured beside the
last cross-country fence at
the Olympics in Greenwich
Tom Hill
From Horseshoes to Olympic Horses