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Ceramic cats purchased by museum 'huge mews'

Alex Pope
BBC News, Bedfordshire
The Higgins Bedford Two ceramic cats, side by side, one is blue and white, with a red stripe across and the other blue, green and yellow. One has DESPAIR at the bottom and the other PROMISEThe Higgins Bedford
The ceramic cats depict moments from The Pilgrim's Progress, Giant Despair and Apollyon on Despair

One of the artists who created a pair of cats inspired by John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress said she was left "overwhelmed" after they were purchased by a museum for £6,000.

Ceramic artists Vicky Lindo and Bill Brookes made the works Despair and Promise for the Bawden and Me exhibition at The Higgins Bedford.

Miss Lindo said: "It's the ultimate for any artists to have your work in public collections, as when we die it will still be there."

Victoria Partridge, The Higgins' keeper of fine and ceramic arts, said: "I'm thrilled that we get to keep them in Bedford forever - it really is huge mews."

Ben Boswell Vic and Bill in a ceramic student, by two ceramic pots. Vic is to the left and smiling, wearing red tights, blue skirt and a black top, with words on it. Bill has a dark beard, has a black hat on, blue T-short and blue dungarees. Ben Boswell
Vicky Lindo and Bill Brookes created the cats in their studio in North Devon

Miss Lindo said: "It's incredible - when we made the work we didn't expect that this would be the outcome.

"You make it and hope someone might want to buy it but it's never really the goal.

"It's overwhelming. It's really special because it belongs to everyone and anyone can go and look at it."

The Edward Bawden Estate A tapestry by Edward Bawden, called Bunyan's Dream to show the work of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. It has several squares, with images in them, and John Bunyan in the middle, in a grey outfit, leaning to the right. It features red lines, and a large golden sun. The Edward Bawden Estate
The cats were inspired by a Bawden tapestry called Bunyan's Dream that is on permanent display at the Bedford museum

The cats were purchased with £4,800 from The Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and £1,200 from The Trustees of The Cecil Higgins Art Gallery.

They were made for the Bawden and Me exhibition, which featured work by 40 artists and creators who were able to access Bawden's extensive archive to create new pieces inspired by his art.

It was one of The Higgins's most successful exhibitions and attracted 36,000 visitors, Mrs Partridge said.

Bill Brookes Vicky Lindo standing smiling by a glass cage, showing the cats by a tapestry that inspired the work. She is wearing a pink top. Her hand is on top of the glass case. Bill Brookes
Vicky Lindo said it was "amazing" that the cats would now have a permanent home at The Higgins

Miss Lindo said she was immediately drawn to Bawden's tapestry of The Pilgrim's Progress, Bunyan's Dream.

She said she did not know the story, but listened to the audiobook as they worked, which became "immersive research".

Cats were chosen as the main inspiration as they are her "DNA" and Bawden "was cat mad", she added.

Bedford Borough Council Victoria Partridge, looking at a glass cage with two ceramic cats on a glass shelf. Other items are on display behind the cats in the distance. Bedford Borough Council
The cats are the only works made for the special exhibition to have been purchased by the museum

Ms Partridge said: "When the cats were on display they were universally admired, especially by children, because it's a lovely way of talking about John Bunyan's story through the medium of cats.

"As soon as I saw them, when I opened the box, I knew we had to have them for the collection, because they have such amazing links with Bedford, through the work of nationally acclaimed artists."

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