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www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com WBM
In gardens all across the world,
something magical has been
transpiring for years: Andy
Cobb’s frogs come to life.
You can find them lounging on patio
benches, tucked inside thickets of azaleas,
and toting watering cans. They’ve
even made their way into homes — pirouetting
through the halls in tutus and
offering hors d’oeuvres on copper trays.
Clearly, these aren’t your average tree
frogs. No, these frogs have a much better
sense of humor.
Andy Cobb, a local sculptor, has been
working with copper for 15 years. He
started with fish and birds, working
to create a realistic replica of what he
admired in nature. But eventually, his
imagination got the better of him.
One of the first whimsical creatures
he sculpted was a tall, elegant heron,
which was, ironically, people watching
through a pair of binoculars.
“I just love making people smile,”
Cobb says. “When I see people responding
to what I thought was clever or
humorous — when I have an idea and
it transcends — that’s the best.” And so,
from that first magical moment forward,
Cobb let whimsy lead the way.
Currently, Cobb is working on one of
his enchanted frogs for a client with a
gardening store in the Black Mountains.
After welding together its steel infrastructure,
Cobb clips copper and bends
the metal by hand to create the smooth
curved finishes of the frog’s limbs and
hands. It’s a time-intensive labor of love.
“Every single knuckle has to show,”
Cobb says, “You must have every
detail.” When it’s finished, this frog will
hold a terracotta pot for fresh flowers
and a real watering can with those
carefully crafted hands. It’ll tend to a
lovely garden somewhere in the mountains.
And when people see it, rest
assured, they’ll smile.
For more information about Andy
Cobb’s sculptures, visit
www.thecobbcollection.com.