Sculpture
works crafted to enrich your view
An invitation to a private viewing
Last winter we brought together an exclusive collection of works by our favourite sculptors for a pop-up event designed just for you. Sculptures were displayed among our plants. They included works from our resident sculptor, David Klein and new pieces from Marion Brandis, Sioban Coppinger, Cara Wassenberg, Helen Solly and Nina Moeller.
The exhibition has now finished but you can still wander the nursery under the canopies of our exotics and explore works by David Klein, Marion Brandis and Cara Wassenberg.
If you are looking for a creative escape, or some sculptural inspiration for your garden why not come and visit us at our nursery.
Winter Pop-Up Gallery
The Sculptors & Their work
David Klein
David Klein MRSS SPS is a British stone carver and portrait sculptor who works predominantly within the figurative art tradition. David has been creating sculptures and clay portraits for over 25 years – an interest first sparked after seeing Michaelangelo’s ‘Slaves’ as a child. He trained as a biomedical engineer, where he gained a solid understanding of anatomy that is evident in his pieces today. His approach is reminiscent of the Italian masters; his figures emerge from unfinished stone, partially worked, leaving the viewer to fill in the detail at times. He works predominantly with Jurassic Coast limestones, favouring traditional tools such as the point, claw and file.
Whilst his stone carving is all about the process of taking away, David’s portrait work is the opposite. Working with clay, he works from life, forming and molding the head before casting it in cement fondue or bronze. The common denominator in both arts is David’s love of natural materials and traditional methods, creating powerful pieces that get to the essence of a person.
“I find the whole process of carving in stone or modelling with clay a uniquely physical encounter – intensely enjoyable and deeply engaging. Whether I’m working closely to the human form or exploring more abstract relationships, the process of looking and creating is almost a process of meditation within which a more intuitive and distantly familiar set of rules apply.
I am incredibly proud to be working within the figurative tradition; for me, it spans cultures, connects us with our ancestors and hopefully the work I leave behind will be intelligible to generations to come.” ~ David Klein
Marion Brandis
Marion specialises in ceramics, tiles and mosaics for indoor and outdoor settings. She also works with other materials and as a qualified landscape designer, she knows how to integrate work into outdoor settings. Her work is suitable for entrance areas, gardens, murals, paving, in fact anywhere a durable, tactile and colourful surface is required. Ceramics are very suited to garden settings, because they are tough, easy to clean and maintain, and vandal-resistant. Marion hand makes most of her pieces, and can obtain both bright and subtle colours to suit any design.
“The key to a successful commission is good consultation. I try to include people in the whole process of creating a work of art as much as possible. My work aims to be colourful and uplifting, and I have enjoyed working in diverse locations, including housing estates, hospitals and other public settings. I love working to commission and for public art settings because I can make things that are to a larger public, both in content and location. I am committed to creating art that is fit for its purpose, relates well to its location, and is seen as an asset by the people for whom it is created.” ~ Marion Brandis
Sioban Coppinger
Sioban Coppinger has been a professional sculptor for thirty years. In the first half of her career Sioban established a reputation in the challenging field of Public Sculpture. Since moving to Lambourn in 1990 Sioban has created a constant stream of commissioned work as well as exploratory new work for exhibitions. Sioban’s work is inspired by our entanglement with the natural world. She often combines an acute observation of people, and animals with an affectionate, and sometimes a wry view of both.
Sioban works with bronze, copper, silver and concrete as well as producing Intaglio and Iris Giclée etchings. Sioban was initially taught Silver Smithing by Dave Tucker at Sydney Place in Bath and he suggested she join John Huggins’ Bronze Casting course. This was a revelation, and the beginning of a life-long love of bronze.
“One way or another I have been involved with bronze casting since those college days. Not long after leaving college, I was working as an ‘enlarger’ at Morris Singer Foundry in Basingstoke, and have worked in, or used many of the other foundries in England at one time or another. The technique of lost wax bronze casting is one of Man’s earliest technologies dating back at least 6000 years. The first bronze was probably cast between the Black Sea and the Persian Gulf around 2,000 BC. Certain elements of the “lost wax” technique have indeed been refined, yet today bronze casting remains essentially the same as it was in during the Acadian period.” ~ Sioban Coppinger
Cara Wassenberg
Cara Wassenberg is a British sculptor who works in forged steel and copper and more recently glass. She makes sculptures for gardens and public spaces as well as smaller pieces for domestic interiors and exhibitions.
Having grown up on a farm, Cara’s decision to study Fine Art in the urban, industrial city of Coventry was a stark transition but it eventually led to her discovering metal as a preferred medium. In the late 90’s Cara worked in Berlin with Achim Kuhn, an East German designer and blacksmith, helping restore some of the city’s most monumental copper sculptures after the reunification. This initial introduction to the warmth and malleable qualities of copper fed back into her own work when eventually she returned to England.
Cara’s work is often abstract but it contains strong references to the visual language of the countryside. Its organic forms and the aesthetic that she sees in the tools, techniques and process of craft and agricultural practice provides inspiration for her sculpture.
The leaf globe on display is created from the individually crafted copper leaves of British native trees. The globes are 1 metre diameter with a steel frame and suitable for exterior locations. They can be customised to suit individual situations such as being bolted down to a concrete surface or simply anchored into a lawn.
“I work using a combination of forging and casting techniques. By allowing these materials to influence and affect the other (during a controlled making process) feelings of tension and transition can start to become evident in the work along with more organic interactions.” ~ Cara Wassenberg
Helen Solly
Helen Solly has recently graduated with a first-class degree from Chichester University, ‘Fine Art with Sculpture’ BA Hons. Born in rural Warwickshire, her childhood included travelling around Europe each summer in a VW campervan looking at art galleries and churches. The family house was filled with contemporary art and bronze sculptures where her parents instilled a love of art, travelling and a strong work ethic. Helen worked as a fashion model in London and internationally for many years. She ran her own business, raised four children and then took the opportunity to study ‘Fine Art with Sculpture’.
Settled now in Chichester, West Sussex, Helen gets inspiration from walks by the sea. Helen manipulates standard metal sheets into minimal abstract forms. She is interested in the strength and longevity of metal and her latest collection is made from stainless-steel. She is always striving to create the illusion of movement from this resistant material. The surface is often burnished to give different reflective qualities, creating a kaleidoscopic mirage.
“I metamorphosise sheets of metal into animated flowing forms. I like the definite, resistant quality of stainless-steel, its strength and longevity. I fold, cut and weld standard metal sheets into minimal abstract forms. I am interested in balance, gravity and a sense of movement. I burnish the surface to give different reflective qualities. Allowing the viewer to reflect.” ~ Helen Solly
Nina Moeller
Nina Moeller is the founder of Nina Moeller Designs, a boutique design practice that offers a bespoke modern and contemporary approach to interiors and furniture for both residential and commercial clients. Initially training with John Makepeace, Nina’s background in furniture design, gives her an original perspective to her projects resulting in beautiful bespoke furniture. Typically these are crafted in English woods but most recently Nina has used a highly durable weatherproof stone composite.
The Curve outdoor bench is a modular seating arrangement. This versatile bench is crafted from single slats of hard-wearing HI-MACS®, solid all-weather proof material, making it perfect for a roof-top garden, residential balcony or any other outdoor space. In white or grey it compliments the tropical greens or rich bark tones you might have in your garden – or want to incorporate in a new garden design. This flowing contemporary form makes it equally suitable for public indoor spaces such as reception areas, hotel lobbies and galleries.
“The key to our new bench seating design is flexibility, the individual seats can be connected together to form a dramatic curved bench to fill a large space or it’s modular design allows each piece to be set up individually to suit a smaller environment.“ ~ Nina Moeller
Booking Your Visit
If you wish to visit our nursery you will need to make an appointment.
If you are interested in buying any of the sculptures displayed at our nursery please contact us to discuss their availability.