Category: Sculptor

Michael Lanigan:

“I am a self-taught sculptor with a passion for carving stone, marble being my favourite by far. I was fortunate to have been able to carve marble in Pietrasanta with a group of Dutch sculptors and in the cloisters of the church of St Elena in Venice, a surreal experience. (I have even flown back to the U.K. with 30kg Carrara marble blocks in hand luggage!)

I love the feel of the stone as I work on it, using hand tools only. The rhythmic sound of mallet on chisel and the slowly emerging sculpture give me so much pleasure; pure therapy.
Often I have no idea what I’m about to create when I have a piece of stone before me and I’m quite likely to change direction for what I hope is the better, as the sculpture emerges. I’m happy to carve any stone I can lay my hands on but marble gives me most pleasure.
I work in a small outdoor studio at home in Somerset; there are few places I would rather be.

Stuart Stockwell is a kinetic sculptor based in Cheltenham creates unique sculptures that capture attention and engage the imagination through simple design and movement. They interpret nature’s genius; a balance of complex function and simplistic beauty, inspired by organic forms and sacred geometry. His pieces are multi-layered and deconstructed. They incorporate metals and concrete – materials taken from the earth – and refine them into elegant curves which give them feeling of movement in static rest. All of his pieces create a union between modern design and nature, blending fluidly with their surrounding environment and elements.

Hayley Jones – Wire Sculptor 

Hayley is a self-taught artist who over recent years has evolved from a painter to wire-sculptor. Working in her garden studio which is situated in her very own wildlife garden is the perfect place to create as she takes inspiration from the fauna in the natural world. Wildlife is close to Hayley’s heart. As well as supporting local wildlife rescue centres through her work, Hayley can often be found rescuing toads, newts and hedgehogs on her local patch.

Hayley uses a variety of single strand wires, including copper, steel and aluminium to construct intricate animal and bird forms and then mounts them on to all sorts of interesting found objects, such as old gates, water troughs, weathered driftwood and reclaimed wood which she sources while exploring the local countryside. Sometimes
these objects can be the spark of an idea for a specific piece, other times, the bird or animal is the starting point.

Hayley’s wire sculptures have proved very popular and invitations to exhibit at prestigious events have led to her work being sold both nationally and internationally. She has also exhibited at the Bristol Botanical Gardens and taken part in two events held by Friends of the Garden in Wiltshire and takes part in North Somerset Arts Week and other local exhibitions. For more information…
www.thecoachhousestudio.net

Julie’s foray into sculpting came about from a need to express her creativity at a time when work as a freelance graphic designer was waning. With time on her hands and compelled to be productive, she took up stone carving. 

Sourcing free limestone, and borrowing basic tools, Julie very quickly became hooked and was soon taking on commissions. 

The move to working in clay came about from the making of maquettes, used as reference to create the stone sculptures. 

She now both carves in stone and moulds in clay to produce bronze and resin sculptures.

Julie relishes the challenge of taking a static, solid medium and giving it personality, movement and a weightlessness that belies the true character of its natural state.

When stone carving, her intention is to capture the essence of a subject by relinquishing all non-essential forms and features resulting in a sculpture that is minimalist yet familiar. However, she allows herself to work in much more detail when producing figurative sculptures, being free to move the clay around and work on getting tension into the muscles and an elegance in the movement.

Artist bio

As a teenager David trained in animal anatomy and taxidermy, skills which have informed his painting and sculpture throughout his career.
His passion for travel and life drawing ‘en plain air’ have taken him to some of the remotest environments across the globe. He has undertaken field expeditions to Kenya, Madagascar, India, Jamaica, New Zealand,Lapland and the Balearic Islands to paint their wildlife and habitats.
He has illustrated books on endangered species in New Zealand and Madagascar.
Whether sculpting a pygmy shrew or a pair of life sized rutting red deer his passion for form and movement capture the spirit and individuality of every subject he shares with the viewer.
His limited edition sculptures are cast in foundry bronze and silver

.In 2018, David’s increased interest in the human form took him on a three month sabbatical to Barcelona Academy of Arts to work under Polish master Grzegorz Gwiazda.
This journey into the world of figurative depiction and the human condition has capturedhis imagination and his latest body of work centres around this exploration. David is happy to discuss commissions for internal and external sculptures.
His works are represented in public, private and royal collections worldwide.

PAM FOLEY BIO

My artwork mainly consists of abstract human figures. Sculpting primarily in clay or plaster, I aim to evoke certain emotions and experiences, commonly solitude and sorrow. 

I start by building an armature and work the material onto it to produce a lone figure that closely represents the idea or emotion. The piece is then enclosed in a rubber mould and cast using another material.

I have been greatly inspired by Judy Chicago’s dinner, which I visited in 1979. This exhibition gave me permission to combine training from my mother in ‘women’s work’, such as sewing and knitting, with more physical tasks associated with traditional sculpture. Dance and gymnastics classes, as well as anatomy lessons, gave me an understanding of balance, poise, line and the energy of the human body.

Pam Foley
www.pamfoley.co.uk

DAWN CONN PROFILE

Dawn Conn is a contemporary sculptor celebrated for her emotive bronze and resin figures that capture moments of movement, memory and human connection. Her work invites viewers to pause and reconnect with the quiet wonder of lived experience, transforming both indoor and outdoor spaces into places of reflection and storytelling. Through expressive posture and richly textured surfaces, Conn’s sculptures hold fleeting moments in time — whether a poised diver, a contemplative seated figure or a character caught mid-motion.

Born and raised on a farm in rural New Zealand, Conn’s early life was shaped by open landscapes and a deep connection to nature. These formative experiences continue to inform the emotional honesty and sense of freedom that run through her work today. After rediscovering her creative voice later in life, she went on to study art and design at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design in London, where she refined her sculptural language and developed the distinctive flowing forms that define her practice.

Conn’s sculptures have gained international recognition, including multiple gold awards at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. In 2025 she was selected as the only UK sculptor to exhibit at Sculpture by the Sea 2025 in Sydney — the world’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibition — placing her work on one of the most celebrated global stages for contemporary sculpture. Today her pieces are held in collections across the UK and internationally, continuing to resonate with audiences drawn to their warmth, nostalgia and sense of timeless human connection.

 

Marie Boyle is from Dublin, Ireland and has been practicing sculpture for 20 years here in the UK.

Based near the Chilterns in Buckinghamshire, Marie’s  first love of the clay is finding the figurative form. Being self taught, her love for the dancer, athlete , circus performer and the mythological are evident in her oeuvre . 

“In my little workshop, I am transported to another world as I work on my pieces. Had I trained as a  figurative sculptor , I possibly would be more prolific, but I must admit  I love the laborious hunt through the clay for the torso, the limb, the gaze, the mood. Not knowing what one is going to find on a particular day or how indeed a piece is going to finish, is my eternal conundrum and joy !”