As the King prepares for his coronation, a sculptor and owner of a Norfolk gallery has been reflecting on how the monarch helped to shape her successful career.
Sally Dunham, 46 and who runs Metamorphosis The Gallery, in Wells, says King Charles and his charity, The Prince's Trust, have helped mould her life.
After completing her degree in 3D design at the University of Wolverhampton and a successful degree show, she was already getting commissions and needed a studio.
She was then told about how The Prince's Trust could help her.
“It kickstarted my career, it gave me the ability to buy my own kiln which I wouldn’t be able to fire the ceramics without, and I still use it today,” she said.
“It helped with me my confidence, the mentor helped me to approach the galleries to feature my work and create a booklet that highlighted my art.
“It's a full circle moment because I’ve ended up supporting other artists by giving them a platform in my gallery to showcase in Norfolk.”
The then 21-year-old Ms Dunham received a loan of about £3,500 from The Prince’s Trust.
Ms Dunham also meet the then Prince Charles at the skills show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, where she was invited to represent the trust when she was 23.
She added she got talking with the ‘chatty’ then Prince about her work and inspirations and that he seemed genuinely interested to hear what she did and how the trust helped her - calling the experience a ‘privilege’.
Now she is looking to create a special sculpture based upon Mister Herbert, a character she has been using for 12 years, with plans to transform it into a king in time to be unveiled for the coronation.
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