A new sculpture celebrating Scotland's national animal will be unveiled one of the country's leading art attractions this week. The 7ft unicorn sculpture, designed and created by willow artist Woody Fox, takes pride of place within the 55-acre Crawick Multiverse artland in Dumfries & Galloway as Scotland's links to the mythical creature are celebrated across the country as part of National Unicorn Day tomorrow (9 April).
The fabled creature is a proud symbol of nobility and power and has been the nation's favoured beast since the 14th century.
Unicorns were written about by the ancient Persians, Romans, Greeks and Celts, and were often described as an elegant white horse-like creature with a single horn capable of magical properties.
They've been linked to Scotland for centuries and were used as an early form of the Scottish coat of arms by William I in the late 1300s.
VisitScotland Regional Director Doug Wilson said: “We are delighted to have been involved in bringing this sculpture of Scotland's national animal to Dumfries & Galloway and have no doubt it will be a great draw for visitors to the region.
“The Crawick Multiverse artland offers a unique and exciting experience for visitors and is the perfect backdrop for this distinctive sculpture in the year that we are celebrating Scotland's history, heritage and archaeology.
“2017 is the year to delve into the past and discover Scotland's fascinating stories, including those myths and legends about the unicorn.”
Duncan Mackison, director of Crawick Multiverse Trust, said: “We are thrilled to join forces with VisitScotland to play our part in National Unicorn Day by displaying this beautiful sculpture at Crawick Multiverse.
“This is a truly unique location which celebrates art, making it the perfect choice for this special installation. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the site to see the unicorn which will be on display throughout the coming months."
Artist Woody Fox said: “I was thrilled to be asked to create this unique sculpture of a unicorn to mark National Unicorn Day.
“My previous work includes deer, badgers, foxes and rabbits which bring homes, gardens, parks and public spaces to life. It has been very inspiring for me to work on this noble and spiritual animal for the first time and to help promote Scotland at the same time.”
