VIDEO: Beautiful new sculpture by Whitby artist unveiled at North Yorkshire Water Park, near Scarborough

Designed by Whitby artist, Emma Stothard, the Damselfly is the second sculpture to be added to the collection by the Yorkshire Coast Bid, following in the footsteps of the first one, the Green Hairstreak Butterfly, which can be found at Spurn Point.

The Wykeham Damselfly, along with around 50 other animal species, such as chubb, roach, rudd, and perch, can be spotted throughout the year around the lakes of North Yorkshire Water Park.

Taking in inspirations from her surroundings, Emma wanted to represent the area the best she could which led to designing the second sculpture - the Wykeham Damselfly.

The female ‘Beautiful Demoiselle’ can be recognised by its verdigris green body with pale, brown wings, differing from that of the males which is identified by their electric blue bodies and dark wings.

Due to its delicate features and subtle colors, the damselfly is a remarkable species and Emma had to ensure the materials used for the sculpture portrayed this correctly.

The body, head and tail have been designed using copper wire as overtime, the patina turns a lovely verdigris green representing the true colors of the Beautiful Demoiselle.

To portray the wings correctly, Emma hand-made them by using a stainless-steel round bar before being methodically woven in phosphorus bronze wire, which in turn will develop into a soft brown over time.

Emma said: “It has been such a delight designing the coastal sculpture collection, which I’m sure will attract many visitors to the park.

"The Wykeham Damselfly itself is such a beautiful species, with delicate, unique features, so I was super excited to try and replicate this in sculpture form.

“It has been such a pleasure to create, and I can’t wait for everyone to see more of the Coastal Sculpture Collection.”

Kerry Carruthers, the CEO of Yorkshire Coast Bid, said: “This project is really important as it’s not just about bringing in visitors to the area, it’s about celebrating all the beautiful nature and wildlife that can be seen here as well.

“Having these sculptures located across the Yorkshire Coast tells visitors a story about what can be seen here, as well as giving them another reason to come visit.

"There are many more sculptures to come in different locations across the coast.”

Operations Manager of North Yorkshire Water Park, James Whitehead, also spoke about the instalment of the Wykeham Damselfly.

“The visitors here at North Yorkshire Water Park are guaranteed to love the Wykeham Damselfly, not only does it look amazing, but it teaches people about the area and the wildlife located here.

“As well as the many activities that take place at North Yorkshire Water Park, we have many people who visit to make use of the spectacular surroundings, whether that be for a dog walk or run or more.

"Adding this sculpture to the route around the lake will grab lots of attention and I can’t wait to see the whole collection once complete.”

The Coastal Sculpture Collection consists of a group of unique sculptures placed in a variety of locations across the Yorkshire Coast for people to visit and educate themselves. Each sculpture has been designed to represent the area it’s located within, offering a chance to learn about the wildlife, history and culture of the Yorkshire Coast.