My current work is inspired by the beauty of many natural forms, but at the moment especially animals. I am interested in the artificial division between ‘human’ and ‘animal’, and the impacts that people have upon the species with which we share space. I spend a lot of time watching wildlife around my home in the Cotswolds, and I’m constantly enthralled by the wordless communication that surrounds us. At the most immediate level, the birds and mammals give a constant wellspring of inspiration; the raucous corvids, loping hares and darting sparrowhawks an infinite cast of motion, form and emotion.
I am particularly drawn to those species which are endangered, persecuted, or disparaged. I find it interesting how people view these creatures, and the frequent disconnection between appreciation of their forms and indifference to their real lives. I’m often struck by the uplifting power of being amongst nature, but simultaneously aware of its transience. Themes of responsibility and connection are important to me, and I look forward to exploring these further in future works.
I work in a variety of materials, including wood, plaster, stone and a gamut of mixed media; I’m constantly experimenting to find the right way of expressing the forms I chase. Much of my relationship with the work is underpinned by my childhood in the countryside and my subsequent degree in Conservation Biology and Ecology.