Creating poppies with pride
Kate Chapman speaks with artist Darius Sirmulevicius, who unveiled his spectacular display of poppies at International Bomber Command Centre earlier this year.
The artist behind the stunning installation, featuring more than 20,000 handmade poppies arranged into the silhouette of a Lancaster Bomber to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, says it was a huge honour to create the display.
Darius Sirmulevicius’s breathtaking work was unveiled ahead of a special service of Thanksgiving at International Bomber Command Centre, in Lincoln, in May.
Darius, who owns Regimental Statuette Manufacturers in Kirton, near Boston, where he lives, was invited to create the display by contacts in Lincoln who were aware of his work.
Here in the UK, the red poppy is the national symbol of remembrance and despite the devastation and loss of life across war-torn Europe, these wildflowers flourished and grew on battlefields. Darius’s creation in the shape of a Lancaster Bomber is a tribute to all those who served during WWII.
“I hadn’t done anything like this before, but I wanted to be involved, give something back to the community,” says Darius who moved to the UK from Lithuania in 1997.
“I believe in doing things for the right reason – Lincolnshire has been my home now for almost 30 years. The Lancaster Bomber has flown over our house, that’s a special sight and it’s good to be able to raise some money for charity too.
“It was a big thing for a small company to be involved in, but it has been a project that we are not only proud of but truly honoured to be part of.
“I had it all in my head, rather than writing it down on paper, I had to tell people to trust me!
“It’s sobering when you go and see it, as we were putting the poppies in the ground, visitors were coming over and telling me how much it means to them.”
The installation was just over a year in the making and remained on public display at the centre until early September.
The individual ceramic poppies are currently available to purchase. Proceeds from the sales will be going to IBCC, Wooden Spoon Rugby Charity, RAF Benevolent Fund and British West India Regiments Heritage Trust.
Career moves
Darius says he’s not always been an artist, even though several other members of his family are very artistic, including his great-uncle, sister and niece.
“I didn’t do well in school, I was always messing about, so I didn’t pass any of my exams. I had jobs in a TV factory, trained dogs, those kinds of things. Basically, anything I could lay my hands on to make money and pay the bills,” he says. “I first came to England in 1997 with some friends to work on a farm in Windsor and stayed for half a year.”
Darius returned to Lithuania briefly and then took the decision to move back to the UK full-time, where he had to learn how to speak, read and write English. He married, but sadly the relationship didn’t work out, although he continued working for his ex-wife’s uncle, who ran Regimental Statuette Company, in Kirton – the business he now owns.
The company supplies major and minor British military units, military messes and museums, as well as private clients with a range of high-quality, made-to-order military statues and figurines. It has hundreds of different pieces listed on its website, including figures of artillery, cavalry, Royal Marines, Royal Tank Regiment, vehicles, badges and emblems among others.
Darius explains that the company was set up in 1989 by Bob Rowe after he left the army following 25 years of service. Bob was a lifelong enthusiast of military history with a recognised talent for military modelling – like his own father before him. He made pieces similar to those used in Warhammer, although pre-dating them by many years and was helped in the business by his wife Ann, who ran the office.
Artistic sculptures
Darius started at the bottom, and after proving himself an enthusiastic and skilled worker progressed up the career ladder taking on other tasks and was eventually trained as a sculptor. When Bob retired, Darius took up the reins.
With each piece being handmade, the first step involves creating a master pattern which can be used multiple times to create new production moulds. Darius begins by sculpting the design, a process which can take several weeks, before proceeding to make the mould in silicon.
Once it is ready, copies of the original can be cast. All of Darius’s statues are resin cast, and some pewter parts are cast separately – for example a sword, a rifle, or plumes – which are the most vulnerable parts of a statue.
Darius pours the resin into the moulds and leaves it to cure for a few hours. Once it is set, he removes the casting from the mould, fettles (cleans it) and then assembles it.
“I’m an artist, but I’m also a manufacturer,” says Darius, who is helped in the business by his wife Anne, as well as a couple of other employees.
“These pieces can be used as gifts for regiments – we make a lot of statues wearing battle uniforms, from the Romans up to the modern day, but we also create badges, logos, vehicles and all kinds of animals too, including elephants.
“‘Anything can be done really – I’m always happy to take on a challenge and find a way around something – nothing is impossible! I’ve made a life-size statue, dressed in uniform from the 1800s – which weighed 400kg!
“It’s like a labyrinth here, we’ve got 1,500 different master patterns, which have all been kept. Five or ten years down the line, people come back to us and say have you still got this one? We’re their custodians. It’s hard work, but I enjoy it!”
For more information about Darius’s work visit regstatman.com
Photographs: IBCC / Darius Sirmulevicius
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Lincolnshire Life Magazine Newsletter 12/25 - mailchi.mp/lincolnshirelife.co.uk/lincolnshire-life-magazine-newsletter-12-25