Profile:

The human form and how it can be captured within sculpture, has long fascinated artists and I am no exception! When I sculpt, I explore movement, expression and emotion.

In the early part of my career I enjoyed creating quirky and unusual characters, inspired by real life and people really connected with my work; it had a ‘feel good factor’ to it. The majority loved it because it could be understood, recognised and didn't need puzzling over. Some work was more thought provoking; having worked within a mental health environment for some years I wanted my work to portray these issues of dementia and confusion. Most of the time my creativity made the viewer marvel and smile, and for fourteen years this work has formed the basis of my business allowing me to pay the bills. However, like any artist new avenues needed to be explored and in 2005, having seen the work Ron Mueck was producing I felt as though I could not bring anything new and radical to the figurative genre and as a sculptor I felt it was time to move on.

For months I had been sketching designs that really excited me, playing with the human form, creating fluid forms that in large scale could be awe inspiring. My problem was the material to use in the creation of these giant sculptures, the designs were slender and languid, some were positioned in a way that would be impossible to produce using cast or plate metal. I couldn't compromise on the integrity of the design so I spent several months investigating and experimenting with all types of material.

For the passed 18 months I have worked on and completed an entirely personal piece of art, the 15 feet tall ‘Warrior of the Surf’, imposing yet restricted to the barest essential line, teasing the viewer with its dimensional construction. I felt that the form needed to look relaxed, defying the material's natural rigidity, but still portray an element of engineering inspired by massive beam engines, which pumped water from the Cornish Tin Mines in the early 1900’s.

Material:

The material is traditionally used flat and is made up of 25mm thick honeycombed and laminated panels. It is unbelievably strong and more usually associated with the construction of luxury, ocean-going yachts; for me it offered great potential to create large scale structures that combine (paradoxically) fluidity and rigidity. Being incredibly light and yet of enormous strength, I wanted to discover the breadth of its potential. Its strength lends itself to larger pieces and yet it is possible to capture flow and movement, unlike any other material. ‘The Warrior of the Surf’ illustrates how the material has allowed me to concentrate on the elevation and pared-down profiled lines of the figure with the viewer completing the picture for himself.

My work will evolve through experimentation with new materials and larger abstract work. I enjoy freedom to be creative, pushing the boundaries of the materials I use and the imaginations of both the audience and myself.

Teaching:

The Creative Workshops that I run enable people of all ages and abilities to create sculpture. It is my belief that everyone has an element of creativity within them but few have the opportunity to experiment in a safe, non-threatening environment. Many have had their creativity curbed at a young age, whether it is by an ill-informed or uninterested teacher or parent. With use of simple, effective, well-developed techniques that are totally unique to me, my workshops help individuals to re-visit and re-establish their creativity. Individuals from disparate groups have achieved incredible results from these workshops and give great mutual pleasure and satisfaction. The results of these workshops have to be seen to be believed.

Here is a list of some of the groups / individuals I work with:

Main stream pupils 8 years – 18 years

College/Further Education students

Bullied, excluded, disruptive pupils

Persistent truants

Community regeneration groups/Social inclusion

Learning difficulties

Stroke /Head trauma patients

Blind/partially sighted people

Sufferers Of Autism

People who self harm/with eating disorders /self images issues

Drug Rehabilitation groups / mental health welfare groups

Prisoners and Ex offenders

People with Multiple Sclerosis/Muscular disturb/ Cystic Fibrosis

People affected by Thalidomide/ADHD/Aspergers

Post Retirement / Alzheimer’s,

The terminally ill

The Deaf

And many more...if you have any queries about who we work with or are interested in an of the above just get in contact with us...