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‡Guy Taplin (b.1939) Sandling A wood sculptural Christmas card sent from Guy Taplin to Elisabeth Frink, inscribed Happy Christmas to Liz and Alex from Guy, 14cm. high Provenance: Dame Elisabeth Frink and Alexander Csaky; By descent to Lin Jammet; The Estate of Dame Elisabeth Frink & Lin Jammet Guy Taplin's 'Birds' have become sculptures to me. Here you see a wing raised, or some other characteristic movement of the bird transposed into wood. They are not static but full of movement and the spirit of the bird…We are lucky to own several Taplins from different periods and I think the new departure is exciting. - Dame Elisabeth Frink Remembering Woolland Tully Jammet At Woolland, outside was a garden both wild and well-kept, dotted with towering, formidable figures that looked down on you. Artefacts from a time before me, I knew who had created them, but nothing more; perhaps how medieval Britons may have looked upon Roman remains. Inside the house was the true story of Frink. Her life possessions, collected from all over the globe, many of which inspired and influenced her. All these pieces told the story of our world, both human and animal. These pieces were part of our personal life, just like they were for her when she cooked, listened to music or entertained her eclectic list of friends. They also presented a much more risky environment for a child to play indoor football, too. Elisabeth Frink and Woolland Annette Ratuszniak former Curator of the Elisabeth Frink Estate and Archive Woolland sits high on the chalk grasslands of the Dorset Downs, just below Bulbarrow Hill, with expansive views over Blackmore Vale. The sculptor Elisabeth Frink and her third husband Alex Csáky moved to Woolland House in 1976. The quiet rural domesticity and spaciousness suited them. They created a family home with a purpose-built studio. The extensive grounds enabled Frink to have her larger sculptures around her. As Lis explained to Edward Lucie-Smith during conversations recorded in the months before she died: ‘The house and garden are my gallery.’ There were two hearts to Woolland: the studio and the house. The studio was the private world where she gave form to her imagination through the images she created. Male figures, human heads and animal forms were fashioned using plaster, her hands and simple tools. The deeper meaning of each shape embodied her concerns about humanity: the tension between our capacity for aggression and our inherent vulnerability. She was preoccupied with our misplaced sense of superiority within the chain of life, the dangers of feeling invulnerable whatever our actions and our impact on the planet. Frink’s sculptures, drawings and original prints established her reputation as one of Britain’s leading 20th century sculptors. Exhibitions and public commissions were constant throughout her life. In recognition of her contribution to Britain’s cultural life she was made a Royal Academician, a Dame of the British Empire and awarded the Companion of Honour. Lis and Alex lived at Woolland until their deaths within a few months of one another. Frink liked to go to the studio early most mornings: ‘I get up, have a swim, have my breakfast and go into the studio about eight, maybe a bit earlier. My mind works well in the morning, and in the evening I do something else – cooking, listening to music, things like that.’ Her need for quiet and privacy within the studio meant that unlike many sculptors she worked without assistants. Finished plasters were cast in small editions of bronzes with the help of specialist foundries and foundrymen, unless they were kept unique for a commission. In the house, the other heart of Woolland, Lis and Alex constantly welcomed guests. Members of the family, friends, collectors and dealers, people connected with foundries and exhibitions all enjoyed lively meals at the long dining room table that dominated the main room, as well as parties round the pool. Lucie-Smith recalls that ‘no one was made