The Shipley Shopper

Seated nonchalantly in the centre of Shipley, right next to the weekly Open Market, is this whimsical, quirky woolly sheep, the Shipley Shopper. It was part of a Community Arts Project of 2008 by the people of Shipley, and artists Morwenna Catt and Martin Bond , Kirkgate Studio and Workshop. Since the name Shipley is derived from the Old English word for sheep, combined with the word for open ground, the sheepy Shipley Shopper is entirely appropriate, especially since much of Shipley's prosperity was based on wool. For myself, I simply loved the statue for its wonderful sense of fun and couldn't resist photographing it. And I'm sure you've noticed that the sun is shining! Actually shining!