Robin Hood returns to Sherwood: New sculpture to replace old one

Work has taken 9 weeks

Image | Robin Hood sculpture

Caption: The new Robin Hood sculpture will be finished in the next day or two according to Levi Cannon, the sculptor working on it. (Malcolm Campbell/CBC)

The statue of Robin Hood that welcomed people into Sherwood was taken down in May and is set to be replaced by a new, similar sculpture.
Weather and periodic vandalism made the replacement of the old work necessary but the new one should be better suited to stand the test of time.
Levi Cannon, the sculptor commissioned for the work, said this one, unlike the previous version is coated in tar to help seal the wood.
He also made changes to the design to help prevent snow accumulation.

Image | Levi Cannon

Caption: Levi Cannon is the artist commissioned to carve a new Robin Hood statue. His first work for the City of Charlottetown was the Robin Hood statue he is replacing. (Malcolm Campbell/CBC)

"It's similar to the other Robin Hood, this one's a little more rounded and a little more sloped so that we don't have a lot of snow falling on it, staying on it, which will cause it to rot," Cannon said.

'A lot more detail'

Cannon said that some of the design changes were also aesthetic.
"This one's a little bit different, a lot more detail on this one," he said. "A whole different colour-scheme."

Image | Robin Hood

Caption: Levi Cannon, the artist working on the Robin Hood statue says the new one is more detailed than the previous version. (Malcolm Campbell/CBC)

The new statue was carved from a 75-year-old poplar tree, and the staff, sword and bow all from pine.
He's been working on the statue for nine weeks, and Charlottetown Public Works says it will be put up on Monday or Tuesday.

Work of heart

Cannon said that the work itself is what he likes most about his art.
"I like to see the people enjoying it, but for me it's the actual carving that I enjoy."

Image | Levi Cannon

Caption: Levi Cannon is finishing the paint job on his new Robin Hood statue. (Malcolm Campbell/CBC)

"Taking a big piece of wood and turning it into something like this," he said pointing at the Robin Hood statue.
"When you stop and you think this all started out at that same size the whole way up."