A retired agricultural engineer has discovered his inner artist at the age of 88.
Tim Fogden is forging a new career welding horse sculptures from old horseshoes.
Tim, who is married to Suffolk’s agricultural chaplain Canon Sally Fogden, lives at Sapiston, near RAF Honington, close to the Suffolk-Norfolk border.
He embarked on his second sculpture, which was recently finished, in April, and has now put it up for sale.
“We have a horse and a pony which my wife rides so we have a friendly farrier so plenty of shoes,” he said. “I originally saw a horse made out of shoes up in Norfolk somewhere outside a blacksmith’s shop several years ago. It had been at the back of my mind it was something I might like to try myself.”
Tim started on his first sculpture about a year ago - a pony made to about two thirds full size - and that sold quite quickly, he said.
His latest artwork represents an Arab horse rearing up.
Tim, who worked for agricultural machinery makers Claas for many years, said he was “very much” enjoying his new hobby - although it was quite painstaking.
“It’s being creative I suppose,” he said.
“It could be of interest possibly to some gardening people.”
As well as welding, the work involved a lot of bending of the horseshoes to get them to fit, he said.
“I do it just in between other things - gardening and walking the dog etc. It took, I suppose, three months,” he said of his latest work.
“It seems to be appreciated,” he said of the reaction to his work. “I’m selling another one now - I’ve got the bug.”
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