Talos Summer Exhibition 2025 showcases The Glimmer Twins casts by artist Amy Goodman

Our Summer Exhibition here at Talos is a popular annual event, renowned for the quality and diversity of the artwork on display. Showcasing bronze sculptures, paintings and wall installations from internationally acclaimed artists in the unpretentious rustic beauty of our gallery buildings and the intimate seclusion of its breath-taking gardens.

New for 2025 we will be bringing the Foundry to our Gallery. A room dedicated to illustrating the processes behind the ancient craft of Bronze Casting and introducing our visitors to just some of the artists who have had their sculptures cast at our Talos Foundry.

To celebrate our connection with Talos Art Foundry we are showcasing one of the UK's rising artists, Amy Goodman, who has been casting with us for some years now and has commissions for life-size figures stretching in well into 2026. To bring the casting process to life for our visitors we will be taking the plaster casts from two of Amy's life-size figures of Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Keith Richards "The Glimmers Twins'. Accompanied by the figures in wax, the moulds and Amy's original concept drawings, additional archive photos will be on display of them being cast in bronze at the Foundry and will walk the visitor through the many steps in the bronze casting process.

The Glimmer Twins

The bronze statues were commissioned by Dartford Borough Council and were installed in August 2023 at One Bell Corner, at the heart of the Dartford Town Centre.

As the story goes Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first met at Dartford train station on October 17, 1961. They recognised each other from their time at Wentworth Primary School and bonded over their shared love for blues music. This meeting marked a pivotal moment in the formation of The Rolling Stones, which they founded the following year.

And why called The Glimmer Twins?

Jagger and Richards adopted the nickname "The Glimmer Twins" after a vacation cruise they took to Brazil in December 1968 – January 1969. An older English couple on the ship kept asking Richards and Jagger who they were. When they refused to reveal their identities, the woman reportedly kept asking, "just give us a glimmer" (as in "give us a hint about who you are"), which amused Jagger and Richards.

Jagger and Richards began to produce the Stones' albums under the pseudonym "The Glimmer Twins" starting with It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (released in 1974). The Glimmer Twins were the sole credited producers for the band's studio and live albums from then, up to and including Still Life (released in 1982).

Article in Cene Magazine

The Glimmer Twins in Dartford Town Centre Image Amy Goodman Credit Andy Smith/Art UK

THE CASTING STORY OF THE STONES

Amy Goodman presents her new sculpture of 'The Glimmer Twins', a one and a 1/4 life-size bronze sculpture of Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, which was unveiled in their home town of Dartford, Kent. This piece has been commissioned by Dartford Borough Council, with funding by Bellway Homes.

Sculpting originally in clay, and then casting the work in bronze using the ancient 'lost wax' process, Amy shares with our visitors how this piece evolved and was made.

The commission

Starting with maquettes (small scale) Amy sketched out the design in plastilin (sculptors plasticine).The maquettes formed part of the application process and were used by Amy to scale up the final piece. The fascinating casting process will be explained with moulds on display, taken from the clay sculpture and used to eventually cast the final bronze sculpture, along with numerous photographs and time-lapse stills, taken throughout the ten month process to produce the work.

Discussions with Amy to sculpt the Glimmer Twins began at the beginning of 2022 when Amy was short listed by Francis Knight public art consultants to apply for the commission, alongside many other sculptors. Submitting her CV, images of her other public works and some initial drawings, Amy was absolutely thrilled to be asked to come to interview as one of the final four, before eventually winning this amazing contract.

A fan of the Rolling Stones herself, and with a skill for visually dynamic sculpture, Amy was so excited at the opportunity to sculpt this iconic pair, especially given the sculpture will reside in their home town.

Strike a pose

Different poses and eras were considered, such as their chance meeting on Platform Two at Dartford Train Station at 17 and 18 years of age, or perhaps a more modern setting with them reflecting on their life in music. The final piece though is set in the 1980s and reflects the energy and strutting qualities of Jagger, alongside Keith who is absorbed in playing his guitar.

Amy brings to the sculptures her deep connection with the subject, as well as her passionate research and attention to detail. Keith is shown playing 'Micawber, his legendary Fender Telecaster. Although such details could have been cast directly from a guitar itself, Amy preferred to sculpt Micawber herself, lending even more energy to the piece.

Working in intense bursts over a few hours at a time, Amy would play the Rolling Stones catalogue while she worked: 'Gimme Shelter, 'Monkey Man', 'Paint it Black' among her favourites, ringing out as she built the clay up over the armature beneath.

Casting at Talos Art Foundry

The prestigious Talos Art Foundry in Hampshire cast the work in bronze. Amy chose to finish the piece with a warm ferric nitrate patina to complement the green live wall behind them. She added accent details with the polished bronze of Keith's distinctive butterscotch guitar, and Mick's microphone.

Amy is so grateful for the expertise of the team at Talos for moulding and casting the work so beautifully, and Mike, the structural engineer for advising on the installation of the work.

Also to public art consultants, Francis Knight, and to Project Centre and Walker Construction who have produced such a stunning setting for them. Above all, Amy hopes that the town of Dartford enjoy the piece and that the 'Glimmer Twins' becomes a loved landmark for the town, celebrating their integral part in the history of the Rolling Stones.

With thanks to the team at Talos: Andrew, Bob, the two Dans, Emma, Harvey, Ivan, John, Katie, Lisa, Maria, Marta, Matt, Pat, Paul and Richard.

Amy Goodman Biography

Amy Goodman, S.E.A, is an award winning Sculptor working in Hampshire, UK with an impressive exhibition history and a growing number of public commissions in her portfolio.

As a teenager, Amy Goodman was drawn to working with clay. Sculpting St George and the Dragon in a pottery class, she sought the challenge of a visually dynamic pose - horse rearing, lance and the dragons wings, outstretched - an attribute that has become synonymous with so much of her work.

Finding inspiration with classical sculptors such as Rodin and Bernini, Amy strives to convey an emotive, though not sentimental, feel to her works. She endeavours to find the true character of her subjects and uses fluid and free mark making to breathe lite into her sculptures, with the imprint of her hands and tools often remaining in the final cast pieces.

Since her degree at the Southampton Institute where Amy was awarded Best in Show, she has gained recognition as a highly accomplished Equestrian and Figurative Sculptor, with a catalogue of public sculptures behind her. Whether shaping clay for bronze, or welding 3D 'drawings' in 10mm steel bar, her elegant equine and animalia works capture lite, energy and movement.

Pivotal pieces in her career have included 'Pegasus and Bellerophon', her emotive WW1 'Romsey War Horse & Trooper' and her 'Arborfield Horses', where she has demonstrated both her sensitivity to the subject as well as her technically competent ability to deliver public sculpture that connects with the audience.

Aside from her equestrian pieces, Amy has completed a number of portraiture commissions. Recently, Amy sought to capture the 'strength, kindness, elegance and poise' of Florence Nightingale in a bronze piece now in place at Gun Hill Park in Aldershot, the late Sir Stirling Moss for the British Racing Drivers Club, and now the 'Glimmer Twins', Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

With regards to her future aspirations, Amy finds great joy in working with her diverse clients, such as the Greater Rushmoor Nepali Community she was welcomed into for the Gurkha Memorial bronze, or the Airborne Community in the case of the Airborne Soldier. Her fascination with African wildlife though, inspired by a residency in Zimbabwe, is something she hopes to revisit. For now, a sculpture of a young bull elephant as if waiting its turn for her attention watches over Amy in the studio as she completes her latest challenge, another iconic woman, Queen Elizabeth II.