Annie Montgomerie - Missies and Nippers at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Annie Montgomerie - Felby

 

Annie Montgomerie - Missies and Nippers is on at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) until Sunday 1 November 2026.  I find Annie's work fascinating and love to inspect her individual characters.  The very life like, anthropomorphised creatures are kitted out in clothes and shoes and are usually carrying a toy which may be a smaller version of the creature holding it.  As the title suggests her characters are rooted in childhood. Their eyes are particularly startling.  I think the smaller creatures look like taxidermy with clothes on. 

Annie Montgomerie - Larfa

They are very cleverly created. We are told that the heads and faces are sculpted with plasticine and layered with fabric to achieve a stiff outer shell.  The bodies, arms and legs are constructed round wire armatures or found objects. Dressed in vintage finds, Annie's creatures have an old fashioned threadbare look.

Annie Montgomerie - Mumfs

Some were presented standing on alphabet blocks which I thought was particularly effective.

Annie Montgomerie - Willow

Annie Montgomerie - Teartear

Slowboy looked very melancholy...

Annie Montgomerie - Slowboy

There were more exotic creatures too...

Annie Montgomerie - Missies and Nippers (various)

I think you might find them like Marmite - you'll love them or hate them.  Whichever it is for you, you can't help but admire the construction and attention to detail.  Go see!

Annie Montgomerie - Hand Me Downs - Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Annie Montgomerie - Giraffe

Annie Montgomerie's anthropomorphic creatures capture a sense of nostalgic childhood when children played hide and seek, skipped along the pavement, explored the woods whilst wearing hand me downs from their siblings and couldn't keep their socks up.

Annie Montgomerie - Toftly the Dog

Annie Montgomerie
- Urshalla the Cat

Cats, dogs, foxes, alpacas, bears and more appear in her collection and often have a special "loved" toy with them. 

 

Annie Montgomerie - Alpacas, Bombom the bear, Locka & Eztree the foxes

Her making starts with the face which she creates from muslin and glue until she has a hard outer shell whilst the body and clothes of her creatures are made from vintage finds. Annie says, "I use muslin, 100% wool felt, ‘up-cycled’ wool garments, velvet, leather, cotton, moleskin and blankets for wall hangings and figures. I then stitch on curious little things I find including vintage buttons, charms and jewellery."

Annie Montgomerie - Agny the Sun Bear

Annie Montgomerie - Blip the Mouse

They are skillfully made and spookily realistic. I found them rather unsettling but fascinating.

Annie Montgomerie - Fizzle the Owl

Annie Mongomery - Pidge the Pigeon

The Hand Me Downs exhibition has closed now but was at the wonderful Yorkshire Sculpture Park which is always a great day out.