A driftwood artist from Aberystwyth has finished a sculpture of a poet, who “triggered his creative awakening” at age 17.

Walker Wright, 40, created the sculpture of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who is well known for poems such as ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’ and ‘And death shall have no dominion’, from driftwood.

“I have been, in the last two years, perfecting a new and totally original approach to portrait sculpture with driftwood that has helped me get to this stage with the Dylan Thomas sculpture,” Walker said.

“I discovered his work at 17 years of age, in a little Welsh pub trying desperately to get served a pint of Dylan’s smooth ale.

“Unfortunately I didn’t get served, but I did have a delightful conversation with the barman about Dylan, considering I had no idea I was actually trying to get a pint of an alcoholic beverage that had been named after him.”

While Walker enjoys Dylan Thomas’ work, his “words mean a great deal” to him and have helped him in more ways than one.

“I am dyslexic, and when I left school I couldn’t read or write very well at all. Long story cut short, Dylan’s poems helped me to teach myself how to read properly, leading me on to learn how to write by trying to write my own poetry, that was bloody terrible.

“But it didn’t matter because it triggered a creative awakening for me, if that hadn’t happened I probably wouldn’t be creating art today. In truth, he has saved me and brought meaning and passion into my life.

“The sculpture has been a long time in the pipeline, considering I am now 40. But I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to show that appreciation and gratitude for Dylan Thomas and his words in the only way I know how - by producing something that also waxes lyrical about nature, the ocean and the waves, like Dylan but speaks visually instead.

“A sculpture that would be a tribute to him and an artwork that would help to keep his memory alive for future generations.”

But this is not the first time Walker’s art has made headlines.

Walker, who has been “pushing everything into creating driftwood sculpture art in the Aberystwyth area for the last ten years”, became known for a “hugely controversial” sculpture of a human skeleton vomiting beach collected plastic.

The sculpture, called OUR ILLNESS, became a “gorilla style display” in the town.

Walker added: “I involved local people in by getting them posing in everyday life situations with the vomit part of the sculpture, looking like they were being sick from all the waste we consume.

“That eventually led onto a gorilla style display in Aberystwyth, on the sea front, and the main purpose of this was to bring awareness to the growing problem of ocean plastics.”

Walker does not exhibit his work and has no intention of displaying the Dylan Thomas sculpture, which has now returned to Walker’s home. He said it will most likely end up at a family member’s home for storage.