Artist honours Black Beauty author on model horse

Anna Sewell, who was born in Great Yarmouth, went on to write the novel Black Beauty

Black Beauty author Anna Sewell is being depicted - along with her famous steed - on a fibreglass horse in the town where she was born.

The life-sized equestrian mannequin is being painted in the market place in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk until Thursday, coinciding with the town's arts festival.

It will go on public display at a later date, along with ten other sculptures funded through the Government's Town Deal Fund.

The trail has cost £330,000 and follows major investment in the town centre including the new market building and the conversion of a former department store into a new library and learning campus.

Artist Lois Cordelia says she is thrilled to be taking part in the art trail which celebrates the Black Beauty author Anna Sewell

The Black Beauty author was born in a house across the road from the market place in Great Yarmouth in 1820.

The artwork, Anna Sewell's Black Beauty, by the Scotland-based artist Lois Cordelia, uses a life-sized fibreglass horse as a canvass.

Cordelia said: "The horse is going to be covered in imagery connected with her - equine portraits, portraits of Anna Sewell, pictures of the place where she lived.

"I'm absolutely over the moon to be part of this project for Great Yarmouth with a new art trail.

"I'm really excited by all of the comments I'm getting from people walking past. A lot of really funny comments: 'Is that a real horse?', for example."

She said most people she had spoken to about the project had reacted with "Oh my goodness, that was one of my favourite childhood books."

She said: "I think it was one of those pioneering moments in history when literature was suddenly seen from the point of view of an animal and that was a new thing.

"Now it's quite commonplace, but back then it was something quite unusual."

Images of Anna Sewell and the house nearby where she was born, depicted on a life-size fibreglass horse

Other works in the project include a tribute to the late Great Yarmouth-born artist Ernie Childs, who was born in 1947 in the medieval streets knows as The Rows.

Sculptor Mark Goldsworthy will create Yarn with Ernie, a statue depicting a figure dressed in Ernie's trademark fisherman's smock, with a paintbrush in hand.

It will represent many of the town's characters and historical characteristics.

Goldsworthy said: "I am delighted to have been chosen to make what I hope will be a fitting tribute to the people of the town.

"With [Ernie's] welcoming and warm nature, my design will very much represent the archetypal Great Yarmouth character, the like of which I remember well.

"I hope it will create a lasting legacy for local people to enjoy and for visitors to learn more about the town's fascinating mix of culture, community and industry."

The Conservative council leader Carl Smith said: "We are delighted to have received Government funding to be able to deliver an excellent new addition to the town that enhances our public spaces for the community and improves our tourism offer.

"We had huge interest from the arts community to create the pieces and we have an incredibly rich and vibrant range of sculptures that I know people will take to their hearts."