A BEAUTIFULLY crafted sculpture of birch and mahogany inspired by shapes from the natural world has earned Kendal-born artist Lully Pattinson a prestigious award, writes Rachel Kitchen.

At this year's Royal Scottish Academy Students Exhibition, Lully's creation Divided Form won the coveted Prize for Sculpture.

"I was really happy because there were 259 student entries from every kind of university and college throughout Scotland, and to win the prize in my major category band for sculpture was an achievement," said the former Queen Katherine School girl, who is studying for her Masters in Fine Art at Edinburgh College of Art.

Lully crafted Divided Form from very thin layers of birch and mahogany, laminated together, shaped and steamed.

"At the time before I was making it I was looking at natural forms, and the way natural forms grow such as shells and animals with armature coverings, the way things pleat and overlay, and that's what was in my mind when I was making it.

It took about a month to make it, and I would say maybe two weeks of putting together and two weeks of sanding."

On her love of sculpture, Lully explained: "I think it goes back to me having dyslexia; I think a bit more visually, 3D as opposed to 2D.

I just enjoy making things - I'm a maker."

Lully is currently working on Chronometer, a piece filled with broken clocks, for the end-of-year show.

"It's taking the idea of antiques and furniture and the way people relate to objects around them, so everything is made to look very old, almost like giving the piece a false history because it's brand new but I'm making it to look like an antique."

She visited "every clock and watch repairer in Edinburgh", scoured car boot sales and charity shops, choosing broken workings so the piece would be "really silent and still".

Another work in progress explores the ideas of a cabinet of curiosities and an old sewing box.

With another year or so to go at Edinburgh, further education teaching is a possible avenue for Lully - she has already run art workshops for the Dyslexia Institute and taught art and design at Lancaster and Morecambe College, where she previously gained a BTEC - as is further study.

She would love to become a practising artist - "but that's maybe a bit fairytale!" - and also hopes to come back to the Lakes one day.