Owl Sculpture Disappears Weeks After Installation

An artwork depicting a family of owls has gone missing only four weeks following its placement outside a church. This piece, situated in a small garden adjacent to Calne Methodist Church in Wiltshire, was crafted without charge by Graham Derham. Mr. Derham stated, “People are a mixture of upset, angry and not surprised – which is sad to hear.” Remembrance crosses positioned on the tree stump beneath the artwork sustained damage during its removal on November 5. The incident has been reported to law enforcement, but authorities have indicated insufficient evidence to conduct an investigation at this point. The vanishing of the statue has been widely circulated, garnering hundreds of shares across social media platforms. Mr. Derham mentioned his intention in designing the piece was “to make people happy.” He elaborated, “When I discovered that the sculpture was missing, I saw the crosses had also been stamped into the ground and not paid any mind at all. It was rather disheartening.” The artist, a chainsaw carver, indicated that the sculpture had an approximate weight of 30kg and was secured by metal stakes driven 2ft into the ground. He suggested that its relocation would have required two individuals, further commenting, “Someone put a lot of effort into it.” The artist further expressed, “I’m feeling disappointed that someone would be so selfish that to take something that brought pleasure to so many other people.” Mr. Derham conveyed his belief that the sculpture would “eventually” reappear, either discarded or offered for sale, and stated that if it did not, he would create a replacement. Law enforcement officials confirmed the case’s closure due to insufficient evidence, but noted that an investigation would be pursued should additional information emerge.