Dragons — born in West Devon!

FOR the past few weeks it must have been a bit like the 'Dragon's Den' at the Tavistock home of Charlotte and Richard Marlow. The husband and wife team, one a prop maker and the other a sculptor, have just completed four gold dragons, commissioned by the Theatre Royal in Plymouth. The dragons, each measuring six feet in height, designed by Charlotte and moulded and cast by Richard, will grace the set of the pantomime Aladdin at the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford. This is one of many commissions the couple have been working on from their Callington Road home and workshop — and whose various artistic works can be seen at South West Crafts in Church Walk, Tavistock. Richard initially trained as a mechanic but moved to the arts. He worked as a stage manager at the Haymarket Theatre, Leicester, for a contempory dance company and taught on a performing arts course at Leicester Polytechnic, where he met Charlotte. Richard is a talented props master. He was asked to carve out a backdrop for Peter Pan at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth and eventually ran its props department for 14 years before leaving and starting his company with Charlotte three and a haf years ago. Charlotte's background was originally in dance, in which she completed her degree at Leicester Polytechnic. This background gave her an enjoyment and insight into movement which she translated into her sculptures. The couple now work full time at their sculpture business. Each brings their own individual skills to their work and so complement each others abilities. They specialise in sculpting, mould-making and casting their own new pieces which they produce mainly in bronze resin. Richard, 55, said: 'It took six weeks to make the dragons. It was quite a process — quite a dirty job to do but was enjoyable.' The design was taken from a two and a half inch model and scaled accordingly. Various moulds were made involving polyurethane, silicone and rubber and the figures were composed of 15 different parts before being given a gelatine coat and set in a cold cast resin bronze. The dragons last week left the Marlows' workshop and were bound for the Bradford stage.