Artist Statement
My work is nearly always based on the human figure, whether in an abstract form or in a more realistic way.
I have always wanted to work from the human form because of the fascination I have with it and the feelings and emotions it conveys. What is important to me is not that the person viewing one of my sculptures experiences the same feelings and emotions that I do, but rather that when looking at the piece, they experience their own feelings and emotional response to it.
Ideas for a new sculpture can come from anywhere or anything. In the past, I have been inspired by pieces of flint and bone, which I found whilst out walking (I have quite a collection in the studio). My ‘Bone Form’ series of figures began when I picked up part of a bone that I thought was beautiful and looked rather like a female torso. I like to see a human form in the stone or bone I find.
The essence of the subject is what connects with the viewer and delights or moves them. It is immensely satisfying to know that other people are reacting in a way that uplifts them or moves them in a deep way. Something beautiful can create such intense pleasure in those that see it. I want to create artwork that has an emotional effect on the viewer and is also something they want to touch, which is part of the beauty of a three-dimensional form.
I do not want my work to be completely understood from just one view. The idea with each of my works is that the viewer is drawn around the piece. I try to create movement in each piece of work, sometimes with twists and turns or balance and angles. As the viewer walks around the sculpture, each view is different and there can be surprises and unexpected interest. With the Olympic Icarus (‘Icarus I’), I put a feather at the back of the base so that people would get a little surprise when they saw it lying there.
I enjoy the changes to my work and the different objects that stimulate my imagination and urge me to create something new, which is why I often work on something completely new and different from previous work. I enjoy the change and stimulation.
I get a thrill from beginning a piece of work and not knowing where I am going with it. It will either work successfully or not, but it does not matter as I enjoy the process so much. The work is very tactile. I love the experience of working with either clay or plaster; they are quite different ways of working, but both are fun and can be quite sensual. I love the physicality of working on a large piece and can work for hours and hours at a time without getting tired or losing my excitement.