Shelley Graham with a bowl she has made

AN artist is appealing for the return of her sculpture after thieves snatched it from her front garden.

Shelley Graham, an artist, media lecturer, and belly dancing instructor, said the sculpture was of Greek goddess Gaia – the personification of the Earth. It was stolen from outside her home in Caldy Walk on the Marquess Estate.

“There must have been a group, or at least one very, very strong person,” said Ms Graham’s friend, Shashe Golob, referring to how heavy the sculpture was and to how high Ms Graham’s garden wall is.

“Where would they even put it? I was saying to Shelley that it might end up in an art dealer or an auction place. I mean, what would you do with it? Unless you’re a rich person with a big garden, but then why steal it?,” said Ms Golob.

The missing ‘Gaia’ sculpture

Ms Graham, who grew up in New Zealand, has lived on her estate for decades. She first noticed the sculpture was missing about 10 days ago when she went out to check on some things she was storing for a friend in the garden.

“Have some compassion and bring it back,” said Ms Graham, who insists there’s an amnesty for the thief if they return it.

“I just want it back,” she said. “It takes a lot to make another one.”

She has made several other, smaller, sculptures of the goddess Gaia, one of which she has dressed up.

“This one has a shimmy skirt on because I’ve been teaching belly dancing,” she said. “I like them to have big bottoms.”

Ms Graham’s front garden

Before she got into sculpture 30 years ago, Ms Graham made jewellery, painted, and drew. She has long been interested in depicting the female form in her art.

“It’s much better to do that than sculptures wearing willies,” she said. “Not that I’m gay as such, I’m bisexual if anything.”

Her sculptures of Gaia have a ring of ceramic ribbon on the top.

“How I see it is they’re like a vessel, and you pull the ribbon and the spirit is released,” she said