RIGAUD – A self-professed animal lover, artist Libby Clinch said she was devastated after hearing the news that Cecil, a beloved lion from Zimbabwe, was killed for sport last year.
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As the snow fell in and around Quebec over the holidays, she decided to pay unique tribute to the fallen feline.
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“I get my inspirations from my emotions, whether it’s sadness, joy or admiration,” she told Global News.
“I was inspired by the story of Cecil the lion. I found the story tragic and very heartbreaking, as many did.”
So, she created a snow sculpture of Cecil right in her yard in Rigaud, Que.
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“I used my hands to sculpt, and for the hair on his mane, I used a plastic spike,” she explained, adding that it took her about three hours to finish.
Clinch said her art is inspired by her father, Bud, who passed away 13 years ago.
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“Snow sculpting is something I have done for many years. I really enjoy the winter,” she told Global News.
“It gives me pleasure being outside.”
The reaction she has gotten from Facebook is overwhelming, she said.
“I am touched that so many people have had such an amazing and emotional reaction,” she told Global News.
“It brought tears to my eyes, so then I knew it would be something to be really proud of. That lion made a great impact on me. His spirit lives on.”
rachel.lau@globalnews.ca
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