Camilla Le May

I was introduced to sculpture in my early teens, thanks an excellent ceramics department at my school. However I was discouraged from pursuing a career as an artist and went onto do a History of Art MA at Edinburgh University. I continued sculpting as a hobby and by fortune was accepted on a Sculpture Masterclass with the late Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, at Edinburgh College of Art. It was thanks to Sir Eduardo’s encouragement on this course that I decided to pursue sculpting seriously and to disregard previous career guidance!

After 2 further years study at Art College in London, alongside working at a bronze casting foundry, I set up professionally. This coincided with visiting South Africa, to see the wildlife for my sculpting in 1999, supported by a Society of Wildlife Artists Bursary award. I was so inspired by the experience on safari that I left art college and returned to base in the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, where I sculpted alongside setting up an Art in the Community project, giving children and adults the opportunity to learn about drawing, pottery and clay modelling. In rural schools art was not taught.

However it was not viable doing voluntary work long term, so after much of 8 wonderful years in South Africa, I eventually returned to UK in 2008. However in 2009 Africa called again and I visited Kenya to see a dear friend, the late Anna Merz, who I had become close to after living on a neighbouring farm to her in South Africa. I visited Anna on Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and we went on an unforgettable camel safari north of Lewa. Anna was one of the founding Patrons of Lewa, having first set up Ngare Sergoi rhino sanctuary and the Samia Trust she left behind continues today to support rhino conservation worldwide as well as in Kenya.

While I loved South Africa, I was blown away by the far wilder, open and unspoilt landscapes in the north of Kenya and was smitten. I ended up returning and impulsively buying my land rover, which I adapted into a mobile studio, so that I can sculpt from life. I have spent much time on Lewa and Ol Pejeta Conservancies where they have kindly granted me access to the wildlife, to sculpt from life, while I give back as best I can, raising funds for rhinos and for the rangers looking after them. My love of animals / wildlife and wilderness areas was initially fostered by growing up on my parents’ small farm and by spending my youth competing on home produced horses. I am now based in the UK but escape to Kenya, wherever work allows.

My sculptures have been exhibited by established galleries since 2000 and I am represented by the Rountree Tryon Gallery in UK and also exhibit at the Everard Read Gallery in South Africa. Elected as an Associate member of the Society of Equestrian Artists, I have won awards from the British Sporting Art Trust, the Society of Wildlife Artists and been shortlisted for the David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year several times. My work ranges from miniature silver jewellery to life size bronzes, such as my bronze of Sefton, the Household Cavalry Horse commissioned for the Royal Veterinary College, (where I was their inaugural artist in residence) and unveiled by HRH The Princess Royal.

I was delighted to be introduced to the Kenya Society and very much look forward to sharing  news of art exhibitions linked to Kenya and of any Kenya related projects that I think maybe of interest. I look forward to meeting others through the society who also care dearly for the exquisitely beautiful country that Kenya is and for her people, who I find so welcolming, warm and kind.