Warrior of the Surf

There’s a new resident at Watergate Bay. The Warrior of the Surf – a 15ft giant – now stands at the bottom of the sea lane, looking out to sea. Throughout the installation process, we caught up with the man behind the giant…

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Richard Austin

Cornish-based sculptor Richard Austin finds inspiration in all walks of life. Visit his ‘sanctuary’ – the Sculpture Workshop in Wadebridge – and you’ll be introduced to a gathering of characters, metaphoric as they are intricate.

His own pieces are punctuated by the clay work of his students. A proud sign reads: “Work created by participants of the workshop. All were creative novices.”.

The gallery is a whistle-stop tour of Richard’s lifelong reflection process. His work challenges the viewer from a hundred pairs of eyes. Some defiant and noble. Others grotesque. They reflect the fortitude of Paralympic athletics, question the state of Western habit and celebrate the art of a grandad-nap.

For the Warrior of the Surf, Richard found his inspiration at Watergate Bay. Using recycled milk bottle plastic he emulated the pensive, timeless ritual of a surfer watching the waves. The sculpture went on a pan-Atlantic tour, featuring in public places and temporary residencies around the world.

15 years later, on Friday 25 May 2018, Warrior finished its journey where it began: permanently fixed to the seawall at Watergate Bay.

Next time you visit Watergate Bay, don’t miss the opportunity to capture your own photos and use #warriorofthesurf to share them with us.

Visit the Sculpture Workshop website to see more of Richard’s work.