Guy Taplin was born in Whitechapel in London’s East End. During the war he moved to Hereford where he was surrounded by nature. This began his love and passion for nature and his obsession with birds. He sought escapism from the modern world, admiring the tranquility and beauty of nature that was represented in birds. For him birds provided a passage into the natural world. Having moved back to London, he worked as a gardener of Regent’s Park. He later worked as a bird keeper. At this time, Taplin began carving and sculpting the birds, later being known as the ‘bird man’. Taplin also had a keen interest in Buddhism and for a while considered becoming a monk. However, he later turned his full attention onto the production of his sculptures. ...