Woven bronze sculpture: a new method of weaving

During the last six years I have experimented with natural materials such as willow to create sculptural work for the landscape. Using a welded steel frame within the sculpture helps to provide a structure for the work and helps support the willow which is woven onto the surface. 

My sculptures are shown widely across the UK in a variety of curated exhibitions and at one large event each year, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Working with natural materials offers a tactility to the work that I really enjoy, in addition to creating my own trademark weaving style that is unique to my work. The method of applying the willow in circular layers is also a unique characteristic of my sculptures. 

The sculptures are often inspired by geometric forms, and the sphere has become a particular favourite of mine, the approach to creating spherical work is quite unlike any other shape, it allows the material to be applied in a continuous length that appears to have no beginning or end. The sphere lends itself to numerous ideas and concepts, and can fit many styles of landscape or space.

Willow has a limited life span and as a result sculptures are sold with this in mind with a price that reflects the life span.

After researching different materials that could be woven in the same hand woven process that I enjoy, I found that there was very few options available that could replicate both the tactile surface, and the colours and tones of the material like that of the willow. However there was one that could potentially work, cast Bronze. 

After discussing my ideas with a number of UK artists whom use bronze in their work, they felt that it was technically impossible to cast one of my sculptures due to sheer number of undercuts and voids that feature in my woven work. 

I’ve continued my research into bronze sculptures and could not find any examples of UK artists who create bronze sculptures in the manner of my own, so could not seek any peer mentoring for my idea. 

But, I have found a way! watch this space over the next few months as I reveal and discuss this new innovation of a hand woven cast bronze sculpture.

Chelsea round up - Sculpture and Sculptors

Every year I enjoy the challenge of creating something new to showcase at the prestigious event that is the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. No other show gets as much attention from both the public and press alike, not to mention the stars that grace the show ground on press day.

But I feel the one thing I look forward to most of all is talking to all the other sculptors at Chelsea, its great to see what new work they have created, what techniques they use and what exhibitions they have been involved in over the last year. We often go for a drink or a meal after show hours and discuss life as a sculptor, what exhibitions have been good, where to source materials etc.  

Chelsea round up - mud glorious mud

One of the things that are out of your control when creating a stand at Chelsea, or any out door event, is weather and plot conditions. 

Every year I go through my stand design with my build up team to try and pre-empt what problems may arise and how we may solve them, such as how to unload the van without having things everywhere and leaving no space to build up, or the plot not being the exact size we have on paper or it being windy and making sure the walls will be sound in any conditions or like with the 2011 stand the ground was so hard we could not get any stakes into the ground.

This year presented a challenge that no one thought about, mud! We knew it had been a wet spring but what we found on site when we arrived was a very soggy space with lots of squelchy mud. We just stood there not quite sure what to do, the main problem being the walls of the plot, they may sink and become unstable. It was decided that the huge 2m long 4x4’s that I had for back supports would have to be pushed into the mud to provide a secure footing for the walls, we did look at funny sight jumping up and down in the mud. We did our best sourcing lots of off cuts of wood and as each wall panel was fixed in place the off cuts were wedged in any gaps to make the walls level.

The good thing about the wet ground is that I didn’t need to water a thing all week even in 30 degree heat as there was around two inch of water sitting under the plant pots.

It just goes to show, no mater how organised you think you are, there will always be something you hadn’t thought about. We always enjoy build up week as it really tests your ingenuity and problem solving and you always seem to find what you need in the bin or with a neighbour. 

Thanks to Iain and Allyson my build up team, who rise to the challenge every year and still come back for more following year. 

Chelsea round up - plants

Another Chelsea has come and gone and its time to reflect and plan ahead for the next one. This year saw the toughest build up in every sense, both personally, physically and mentally.  

The run up to Chelsea this year was a real challenge firstly with the plant material that I had chosen to use. I had decided to use a lot of ferns in my planting design to enhance my sculpture and had sourced a local supplier who specialism is British native ferns. Unfortunately none of the ferns had even shown any leaf growth three weeks before Chelsea, so when we did eventually get some good weather there was very little foliage. The second plant supplier, who specialises in British wildflowers and cottage garden plants called me the day before the van was due to be packed to let me know that all the foxgloves had failed and some of the plants had also, like the ferns, not shown much growth.

The weather this year has caused some real head aches thats for sure, when I start planning out my stand design in the summer, I try and select plants that naturally will look their best in the late spring as I’m not a fan of forcing plants, but after this years problems it makes me want to rethink! 

I think that every exhibitor at Chelsea this year had suffered this year with their plant material not enjoying the cloudy wet spring we’ve had.

But this story is one of the many positives about the Chelsea experience, when I got to the planting up stage on site the plants had to be planted more tightly to create a lush feel and I quickly ran out as the few plants that did grow were not very full.Anyway, there I was having a melt down because my planting looked so sparse when one of my neighbouring stands suggested I borrow some of their plants, I felt so relieved and so grateful, it turned out that the plants belonged to Chris Beardshaw who was more than happy to help out.

I completed my planting which looked amazing, the ferns and wildflowers looked great supported by Chris Beardshaws Ladies Mantle, London Pride and Grasses.