Former army artist Matt Gauldie may be out of the army but he is still testing himself — this time with an exhibition of bronze bird sculptures, he tells Rebecca Fox. It may be more than 10 years since Matt Gauldie left the army but his time as an army artist still resonates with him today. “I’m very proud of my artwork that I made over there because it really did speak to the emotions of everyday soldiers just like me and how it felt.’’ He joined the army aged 28 when the role of army artist was revived by former prime minister Helen Clarke and former major-general Sir Jerry Mateparae. Gauldie went on to serve in Afghanistan, East Timor and the Solomon Islands as well as travelling to historical war sites in Egypt, Turkey, France and Belgium. “I fit in very much into the army and I enjoyed it. I loved the culture. I got to understand that they all look the same from the outside, that there are lots of different people and personalities.…