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.
