Wind Beneath Owl: A Bespoke Bronze Owl Commission Rooted in Identity and Care

Some commissions begin with a clear brief. Others begin with something more personal, a feeling, a history, or a set of values that matter deeply to the people involved. Wind Beneath Owl was very much the second kind.

This sculpture was commissioned by South African clients Riaan and Yolandi Labuschagne as a deeply personal bronze piece connected to one of their companies, whose logo is an owl. From the beginning, I knew this was not meant to be a generic owl sculpture. It had to carry the emotional weight of something they had built over many years. It had to reflect the care, pride, and commitment tied to that journey.

When I started developing the piece, I was not interested in making an owl that simply looked strong or decorative. I wanted it to feel protective, nurturing, and wise. I kept thinking about what it means to build something over time, to guide it, protect it, and help it grow. That feeling became central to the sculpture.

The most important thing for me was that the work should not just resemble an owl. It needed to express why they wanted an owl in the first place. The sculpture had to hold the emotional meaning behind the commission, not just the visual reference.

That is where the gesture of the wings became so important. Rather than spreading them outward in a dramatic or aggressive way, I designed them to stretch forward in an embracing motion. There is a sense of shelter in that posture. It suggests care rather than dominance. It echoes the way the company had been nurtured, and the way its people had been supported over time.

This became especially meaningful when thinking about the company’s strong support of women in senior leadership roles. I wanted the sculpture to reflect strength with warmth, authority with generosity. The gesture of the owl needed to feel grounded in those values.

The face was equally important. Owl imagery can easily become severe or intimidating, and I wanted to avoid that. I spent time refining the eyes so they would feel softer and calmer, with a wiser and more reflective presence. Small highlights helped bring in that gentleness. For me, that subtle emotional tone mattered just as much as the larger form.

The final bronze version was created specifically for the clients and polished to a mirror-like finish. That material and surface brought another layer to the work. Bronze has a long history and a certain permanence to it, but the high polish gave the sculpture clarity, refinement, and a sense of warmth that suited the concept. It felt right for a piece rooted in legacy and identity.

Alongside the bronze commission, the sculpture also exists in polished stainless steel as another expression of the same form. The stainless steel version has a different character. It feels cooler, sharper, and more contemporary, while still holding the same core idea of protection and quiet presence. Seeing the form move between these materials has been interesting, because each one changes the emotional tone slightly while preserving the heart of the piece.

For me, this commission is a reminder of what custom sculpture can be at its best. A commission does not have to feel like choosing an object from a shelf. It can become something genuinely personal, built around history, values, identity, and the emotional reasons someone wants a work in the first place.

That is what makes the process meaningful to me. I am not only shaping form. I am translating something lived and felt into a physical object that can last.

Wind Beneath Owl stands as a lasting expression of private meaning. It brings together business history, personal pride, care, and protection in a single sculpture. It is an owl, yes, but more than that, it is a portrait of what mattered behind the commission.

You can view the sculpture here:
https://ferdibdick.com/products/wind-beneath-owl

For commission inquiries, contact

Artist with stainless steel version

Two-view sketch sheet for Wind Beneath Owl exploring the front and angled composition of the owl with its protective, sheltering wing gesture. 

3D  drawing for Wind Beneath Owl showing the owl’s bowed head, closed eyes, and forward-reaching wings that create an embracing silhouette. 

Bronze client version on white background, front view

Stainless steel version on white background some picture ...