Pre-lockdown, I was part of a local woodworking group. I enjoyed using the machinery particularly for cutting wood for my own designs. Having found some of the templates I'd sawed in readiness to decorate, I completed these 3 'Dala' horses.

The Swedish 'Dala' horses were traditionally carved from wood and gifted to children. Not until the 1800s did they start to paint the horses. The history of the 'Dala' horse and it's symbolism is worth investigating, but not enough room here.

To update the design, I drilled holes along the back of the head and neck so that I could add a mane, made from thick, unravelled jute.

The decoration is based on the traditional bargeware motifs of roses. Each horse has different coloured roses on each side.

They stand solidly on a base, painted in a neutral taupe colour, which is also sealed with a matt varnish.