Donkeys
Rolling Donkeys
Donkeys in art have been represented throughout history as the ultimate beast of burden, long faced, long suffering, slow and stupid, often stubborn and usually worn down by overloaded overwork. Long faces they do have, but they're actually very playful and highly intelligent animals, they form strong social bonds and are surprisingly articulate, gentle and affectionate. So I've sculpted these Rolling Donkeys in an unusual pose to challenge our common perception and to show a different side, most notably the underside!
Small Rolling Donkey: Hand-Painted Original
A departure from the traditional 'beast of burden' archetype, these original polymer clay sculptures celebrate the donkey's joyful nature.
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Pictured here are some from the Small Donkey collection. Most of them measure about 4" long, each is sculpted in a different position, legs kicking, stretching and curling. Most are depicted braying, their open mouths showing a full set of mature teeth that you can almost age them by and their tiny pink tongues lightly rolled concave, the shape they form when a donkeys brays. Many curl up their top lip in the way that donkeys do when tickled and scratched.
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So what we have here are some very accurately sculpted, very noisy, very happy donkeys, doing the thing they love the most, rolling in the dust.
Dimensions: 4" W x 2.5" H
Price: €150 + P&P
Material: Painted Polymer Clay
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"Gills figures are so full of life. They make you smile. Her wealth of experience in the equine world shows through in the donkey sculptures. You expect them to get up and shake after they have rolled."
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Nicola | Equine Therapist
Large Rolling Donkey: Hand-Painted Original
A large scale study of the donkey in a state of happy abandon.
Each donkey - or 'jennie', the name for a female donkey, is anatomically accurate, each radiating a sweet nature and each, a completely different character. These are not braying jennies, instead, with eyes tight shut, they roll silently in ecstasy, tails - mid swish, covering their modesty.
Each original piece is very lightly hand-painted onto polymer clay, signed, dated and numbered.
Dimensions: 9" W x 5" H
Price: €500 + P&P
Material: Painted Polymer Clay
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"Gill Newlyn's donkeys are playful and full of movement and humour."
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Jane | Leeds, UK
Small Rolling Donkey: Foundry Cast Bronze
A study of a rolling donkey, braying with pleasure as she does what jennies love to do - roll in dust.
This piece is Foundry Cast in solid bronze, using the traditional lost wax method and is hand-finished with a rich, archival patina that will age beautifully over generations.
To ensure its provenance and value as a collector's item, this sculpture is signed, numbered and dated by the artist. A timeless tribute to this often mislabelled animal, rendered in the most enduring of artistic mediums.
Length: 4"
Price: €POA + P&P
Material: Foundry Cast Bronze​
Jenny & Foal: Hand-Painted Original
9" by 5" and we have very much bigger jennys here, their confirmation (the equestrian term meaning physical features) is accurate. A sweet nature radiates from each, every one a different character from the last. This time their mouths are closed, their eyes too, held tight shut in the ecstasy of the roll, tails - mid swish, covering their modesty.
Each is sculpted in grey polymer clay, so I've only lightly highlighted the muzzle, the ears and nose and the slightly darker 'points' (mane and tail) Each is sanded to a soft smooth finish.
Dimensions:
Jenny: 3.5" H x 5.5 L
Foal: 1.5" H x 2" L
Price: €750+ P&P
Material: Painted Polymer Clay
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"Gill's sculptures really are made with love and reflect the passion she has for her art. Each sculpted animal has a personality of its own, which I think, is a very exceptional aspect to capture. You can see the love in the eyes that the donkey has for her foal - remarkable."
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Maureen | Writer | Kenmare, Ireland
Explore More
Horses have featured in my life since I was a small child, I never owned one but I've drawn them, worked with them and now I sculpt them. Donkeys I have huge respect for, musicians and good people too, I honour them all in clay. Explore the wider collection of hand-cast and original sculptures.
