Mannequin PR’s newest client in 2012 is Serena Thirkell, an East Sussex artist who is descended from Rottingdean painter Sir Edward Burne-Jones. She lives in Lewes and works in found, wrought and cast metal. She uses agricultural and engineering tools and machinery, cleaned, and recycled into mythical creatures. She has exhibited widely and has sculptures in many collections.

Her latest exhibition, ‘The Garden of Forgotten Engineers, Smiths and Bicycles’, is currently showing at the Worthing Museum and Art Gallery until 5 May. Among the sculptures on display are a Giant Steel Helicopterix, a flying steel bluebird made of slatted plough mould boards and an excavator articulated bucket. Pipe benders form a Trojan Horse and a vegetable steamer Samurai family sports shoe trees and bicycle gears.

The exhibition also acts as a historic memorial to the skilled engineers and smiths of Sussex where the materials were sourced. There were many smiths and ironworks in Sussex including the Phoenix Works in Lewes. All the bicycle parts are from discarded bicycles which ties in with the recurring recycling theme.

To find out more about the exhibition visit the Worthing Museum and Art Gallery’s website.