Ducks

F.W. Harvey

Artist Fiona Fineran with the brass ducks in the River Gardens.
The ducks in their new position in the River Gardens.

This beautiful addition to the poetry trail is a patinated bronze sculpture by Belper and sculptor Fiona Fineran. The original clay version was modelled at her Derby Road studio from on-the-spot drawings of the River Gardens ducks. The animated trio, variously alert or sleepy, were later cast at a West Midlands foundry. The ensemble is suitably mounted on a block of Derbyshire limestone positioned at the north end of the Belper River Gardens.

Fiona was educated at Newcastle-under-Lyme and received her initial art training at Derby College of Art with subsequent post-graduate studies at the University of London. A long career of art teaching and exhibiting followed, including various commissions, of which the bronze commemorative plaque to William Strutt (installed in 2004 in the nearby Belper Heritage Centre), is particularly notable.

For more information about Frederick Harvey please visit: www.fwharveysociety.co.uk.