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Model of Beattie Statue Unveiled
Friday, 6th Sep 2019 07:00

Pictures of the model on which the final statue of Blues legend Kevin Beattie will be based can be revealed for the first time today.

Last week, it was confirmed that The Beat Goes On fundraising campaign, led by the EADT and Ipswich Star in conjunction with BBC Radio Suffolk and TWTD, had hit its target

The statue, which is being sculpted by Sean Hedges-Quinn, known as Coach who was responsible for those of Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson, is expected to be ready next the spring. It will stand on Portman Road just along from Beattie’s mentor Robson towards Planet Blue.

As part of the process of sculpting the statue Hedges-Quinn, a Town season ticket holder, has created a maquette — a small first model of the design - upon which he will base his final piece.

Sean outlines how he has gone about getting to this stage and what he has to do in the months to come.

How did you approach the design?

It was important to me to capture the very essence of The Beat. Right from the off, I had every intention in my mind to capture the grace, power and athletic agility of a wonderful player. Having a standard standing pose (ball at feet/ball in arm etc) like many other footballing statues around the UK was never going to be an option.

Speaking to many people who witnessed him play in his pomp, the one overriding observation that most people commented on was this extraordinary leap that he possessed when heading the ball. I decided that was the pose I wished to create.

What were the biggest challenges?


The challenges were numerous! I had to create a statue of great weight, balance and movement; a statue that looked like and felt like a great tribute to The Beat and to come up with a unique idea to the problem of suspending him in mid air without any apparent support. This on top of pleasing 20,000-plus ITFC supporters with very high expectations!

What were the first things you were trying to achieve with the design?

Being an ITFC season ticket holder and Ipswich boy through and through, I really wanted everyone in my home town to be proud of what ever I produced. The one thing I really was trying to achieve was something different from the norm, something unique.

How pleased are you with the results?

I am delighted with how the maquette has turned out and very happy and thrilled that the people close to Kevin Beattie seem to share that delight.

Emma Beattie [his daughter and a member of The Beat Goes On committee] was quite overwhelmed and has expressed to me how she felt it was a beautiful and perfect representation of her father. For me that was not only of course a relief but also the best I response I could ask for.

The statue committee also gave me a little standing ovation which was also rather nice.
I now push on to scaling him up and being able to show the rest of Ipswich what I have been doing for over a year.

You have previously stated that the head is the least important aspect at this stage.

As you can imagine, the head of my maquette is smaller than a Brussels sprout and his eyes are the size of a grain of rice. Getting a spot on likeness is very difficult at that scale.

I always aim to get a good resemblance but a good likeness at this early stage is not a priority. What is much more important is getting the balance, weight, flow and look right.

Does the pose work from all angles and not just one? Is it a pleasing aesthetically for the observer? Does the pose work as a stand alone subject? These are the questions I ask at this stage.

I can also at the maquette stage make minor changes if it is required by third parties. ie move an arm easily, turn his head slightly etc.

A facial likeness is very much the most important aspect when the full scale statue is completed but at this stage not so.

What is the process now?

The next stage is to now start sculpting the full scaled-up version of Kevin Beattie.

This I start by creating a steel armature which in turn supports the clay that I am using to sculpt The Beat. A separate removable head will be sculpted so that I can get a good portrait likeness.

The portrait of The Beat will need a lot of concentration as he will be pulling a funny, determined ‘heading the ball’ face but at the same time still be instantly recognisable.

After I have sculpted The Beat (around five months), he will then be moulded and then sent to a bronze foundry were he will be cast in bronze (around eight to 10 weeks), ready for an unveiling in the spring.

I am hoping to start the scaled up version on Monday and really can’t wait to get going. It really is an absolute privilege to be doing this. I consider myself very lucky to have been asked and I will thrive to produce a wonderful and fitting tribute to a great, great player.


Photos: Sarah Lucy Brown/Archant/TWTD



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BlueMachines added 07:04 - Sep 6
Looks really good! A fitting tribute to one of our best players ever!
8

Hamish1979 added 07:32 - Sep 6
I love it!
4

Dissboyitfc added 07:33 - Sep 6
what an amazing talented artist sean is. A massive well done to the committee, congratulations on reaching the target! Well done to all those who contributed!

The beat is looking down, probably with a massive sense of pride!
10

fergalsharkey added 07:47 - Sep 6
His legs were chunkier than that is m y only observation.
Bloke was a machine.
12

bluesteal74 added 07:52 - Sep 6
What a Master piece this will be for a true Legend.
3

midastouch added 07:56 - Sep 6
Ronaldo will be jealous.
9

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 08:07 - Sep 6
Looks great
2

Suffolkboy added 08:09 - Sep 6
What a detailed meticulous process of both observation and character SB-H puts into this wok of art !
Like many others I saw him play alongside super colleagues in a great team,but he stood out a mile as a physical specimen ,and did have very muscular legs indeed .
Eagerly await the REAL thing next spring !
COYB
6

heavyweight added 08:09 - Sep 6
Fergalsharkey agree - thighs like tree-trunks.
11

tiptreeblue added 08:12 - Sep 6
Can anybody else see an uncanny likeness to Big Allan hunter there as well?
8

itfcjoe added 08:22 - Sep 6
Quality, nice one Coach
2

SheptonMalletBlue added 08:26 - Sep 6
Sorry, but legs are too thin and I don't think the face is right. Doesn't look like Kevin to me.
5

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:46 - Sep 6
If you read the article, it does state that the face isn't a priority at this stage; the prototype is too small to go into detail. I think the finished product will be much more of a likeness. Sean Hedges-Quinn really is a talented guy, and going on Sir Alf and Sir Bobby, I am backing him to get it right.
6

Steelmonkey added 08:48 - Sep 6
SheptonMalletBlue as the artist says at this stage his head is the size of a Brussels sprout, until he has upscaled the figure to full size, identifiable features will become clearer, but must agree the legs aren't muscular enough.
6

JewellintheTown added 08:50 - Sep 6
@SheptonMalletBlue - the article said not to worry too much about the face at this stage, it's more form & pose etc. Things like facial likeness will come next.
I'm also thinking his legs were a bit chunkier, but otherwise, considering the size worked at, this is brilliant! Million miles better than the dross at some stadiums. Sean, you're a talent & we're so glad you're a true blue. Bet Kev would have a tear in his eye.
6

PackwoodBlue added 09:16 - Sep 6
Superb! Will look magnificent full scale.
2

dirtydingusmagee added 09:24 - Sep 6
mmmm,great concept with the action, agree thighs are ''lightweight'' seen bigger thighs than that at KFC, It has been stated that facial features will be worked on when it comes to the real deal, thats fair enough, at present i can see The Beat in second photo but not in first,Early days ,its a hell of a job to undertake, but the man got Sir Bobby spot on ,so feel sure this one will come good too. And yes Tiptree, i can see A H too, think it must be the tache.
4

Linkboy13 added 09:44 - Sep 6
Looks more like Bobby Moore.
-2

TheHound added 10:11 - Sep 6
Looks brilliant!
-1

runningout added 10:12 - Sep 6
Doesn't look like Kevin Beattie if I'm honest.
5

BlueandTruesince82 added 10:15 - Sep 6
Looks great to me, can't wait to see the real thing. Would be rather nice if the Marquette could be either given to the Family or auctioned/raffled off for charity.

I for one would love to own that.

Think this will be a fitting tribute
1

DebsyAngel added 10:34 - Sep 6
This is looking great - I knew Sean's brother vaguely at school as he was in the same year as me.

A great tribute to The Beat and best of luck working on the full scale model.
0

Dissboyitfc added 11:18 - Sep 6
Clearly says in the article the face is not important at this point, wish people would read the article before making comment!
4

HighgateBlue added 11:25 - Sep 6
I think it's an unbelievable piece of work. I think the head and face are impressively realistic at that scale, especially from the side-on view. His work on the other two statues was magnificent, and the 'movement' aspect of this one is clever, and appropriate. We are lucky. Great tribute to a great.
1

ZurichBlue added 12:18 - Sep 6
A great design but I'm another who thinks it looks more like Alan Hunter - at the moment! Still time though to put this right before production.
4


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