Tobogganing Penguin, bronze (sliding on ice), 3 of edition of 7, length 33 cms Anita MandlAnimals are Anita Mandl's natural choice of subject and her interest lies in depicting them in a pared down simplified form. Brancusi has been the biggest influence on her work. The pieces are reduced to semi-abstract form but retain a marvellous sense of characterisation. There is often an underlying sense of humour in the choice of animals - her baboons and guerrillas can have an uncanny resemblance to humans. Mandl is a carver, working in alabaster, soap stone and marble. The animal is dictated by the shape of the piece of stone. Her pieces are cast as bronzes from the original carvings at the Pangolin foundry near Gloucester.Click here to view more work by Anita Mandl