“The Vision of a dashing Peter O'Toole traipsing about deserts in Lawrence of Arabia, made camels — for thousands of swooning women, at least — seem romantic. For Sydney-based sculptor Jane Dawson, however, the humped-backed creatures also make fabulous mobile chiropractors.

A highlight of Dawson’s recent trip to India was rising at dawn to witness the country’s largest camel fair, a mirage in the desert of 25,000-plus camels. ‘They’re just hysterical, they have the most wonderful personalities,’ she says. ‘I had a sore back before I travelled and when I rode a camel the movement fixed my back.’

But turning camels into bronze…was never on Dawson’s agenda. ‘I was told “you’ll go home and make a camel” and despite my protestations, a camel popped out…

Growing up on her family’s property 30 km outside the tiny town of Coolac (halfway between Sydney and Melbourne)

McGrath
The Weekly Magazine
13 May 2006

“Model Student”
By Lara Zamatian

Animal magic is what inspires popular Sydney sculptor Jane Dawson