July 25th 2024.
Keith, a retired art teacher, has been working on a unique project for almost 20 years now – a hedge in the shape of a naked woman. It all started back in 2005 when he decided to indulge his love for sculpture by turning the hedge in front of his house into a work of art. He named her Gloria and she has been a source of joy and fascination for the people of Sheffield ever since.
Despite being 90 years old, Keith is still physically fit and has no plans of stopping his project. He takes great pride in maintaining Gloria and loves seeing the reactions of passersby when they see her. She stands at 5ft tall and reclines gracefully, catching the attention of many. Some even stop to take photos of her, admiring the intricate details and the effort put into creating her.
However, not all interactions with Gloria have been pleasant. Keith has caught drunk people trying to climb on her, even pretending to have sexual interactions with the topiary. But despite this, Keith remains unfazed and continues to care for his beloved sculpture. He says, "I'll keep her going. She isn't going anywhere. She'll stay sat there on my wall."
Gloria is not just a hedge in the shape of a woman – she has her own unique style. She even sports a pair of sunglasses, adding to her charm. Keith reveals that he had not initially planned for a naked lady when he started shaping the hedge. It was his background as an art student and teacher that allowed him to bring Gloria to life. He says, "She developed slowly over two to three years – it was quite fun really. The lady came out of my love for visual invention – it's just a creative thing I enjoy messing about with."
Over the years, Keith has had some unwelcome visitors who have damaged Gloria's shape by mounting her and taking inappropriate photos. But fortunately, it has been a while since he has had to deal with such incidents. Despite this, Keith remains dedicated to maintaining Gloria and using her as a means to promote public art. He believes that society would benefit from having more beautiful, thoughtful, and gentle pieces of art in public spaces.
For Keith, Gloria is not just a sculpture – she is a representation of his love for creativity and art. He enjoys the responsibility of keeping the hedge looking nice and takes pride in being involved in such a unique and creative project. He says, "People do smile when they see Gloria, they don't break into hilarious laughter but quietly smile, and I like seeing that humour in people's faces." And that, for Keith, is what makes his project worthwhile – bringing a smile to people's faces and promoting art in the community.
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