Ponty: Acclaimed Royal Academy artist Philip Sutton’s stunning Stampede creation
You may have noticed Stampede by the Sea’s very first baby elephant sculpture, hand-painted by RA artist, Philip Sutton. The fantastic design for this elephant, affectionately known as Ponty, was created and painted by Philip who is 95 years old and partially blind.
Demonstrating how spectacular and diverse the Stampede by the Sea trail is set to be, Ponty joins our Hero sculpture, Waves of Emotion, as the first of more than fifty uniquely painted elephant sculptures that will be grazing across Bridport, West Bay and Lyme Regis in spring 2025.
Philip Sutton RA, member of the Royal Academy, is a renowned British artist known for his vibrant use of colour and expressive style. At 95 Philip continues to make significant contributions to the art world despite being partially blind. His distinguished career spans decades, with numerous solo exhibitions worldwide and works held in public collections such as The Tate. Recently, he painted the baby elephant sculpture “Ponty” for Weldmar Hospicecare’s ‘Stampede By The Sea,’ showcasing his enduring creativity.
The art trail aims to raise vital funds and awareness for Weldmar Hospicecare, which provides specialised end-of-life care for adults in Dorset with life-limiting illnesses. Each elephant sculpture will be auctioned by Dukes at the end of the trail, with proceeds directly supporting the hospice’s services.
Philip Sutton RA commented: “I named the elephant ‘Ponty’ after the French philosopher as I found him quite inspirational. Art is such a personal experience and we express ourselves by how we dress and how we behave. But I try to leave my beliefs and politics behind when I paint. When I paint, I express my personality through my art. Working on ‘Ponty’ for Weldmar’s ‘Stampede By The Sea’ was a joy, and I shall miss Ponty when he goes!”.
More about Philip Sutton RA
April​​​​ Whitehead, Interim Head of Fundraising, said: “Stampede By The Sea’ is an exciting initiative for Weldmar Hospicecare, aiming to bring the community together through creativity and compassion. Each elephant sculpture, like Philip Sutton’s ‘Ponty,’ represents a unique story and vision, contributing to our art trail. We invite artists to join us in this journey, helping to raise awareness and support for our cause”.
Ponty has already made an impression in Dorset, visiting local schools who express an interest in finding out more about the Learning Programme element of Stampede by the Sea, including Bincombe Valley School in Weymouth, pictured here.
Artists are encouraged to submit their designs for an elephant sculpture on the trail, contributing their creativity to make this event a lasting memory for all participants.
Feeling inspired to create your own design?
We welcome entries from artists from the local area and further afield aged 18 and over, and each artist can submit up to two designs.
Please download the artist pack and templates here, and follow the link below to submit your application.
Download the Artist Pack here Download the Templates here
Join our herd.
Stampede by the Sea is a unique opportunity for the local community, schools, the business sector, and artists to come together and create something special. Find out how you and your organisation can get involved.
