Nicola Hicks's life-size creatures pack plenty ... As a figurative sculptor with an unfashionable penchant for drawing, Hicks was out of step with 1980s conceptual and punk culture.

NEW HAVEN — Nicola Hicks ... Spaniel," as fine a dog portrait as was ever painted in England. Even without these treats, this small show would have won me over to Nicola Hicks.

Photo: Nicola Hicks under Creative Commons If you've been near the English Garden in Battersea Park, you may well have noticed the dog statue pictured above. The statue may seem harmless enough ...