There is little more satisfying than taking a lump of clay and pushing it around until it takes on the form you are trying to capture and I have been lucky enough to make a career of it.  

Having started work as a freelance model maker in animation, I built up my knowledge of materials and techniques making puppets for the stop-motion animation industry.  These puppets are made using complex mould making techniques so that perfect replicas can be cast when they wear out.  

My wife and I now run The Sculpture Studio in Chalford.  We are passionate about sculpture, creating our own, teaching others and producing commissions for clients.   The Sculpture Studio provides a home for classes, commissions and the SculptureBox range of kits. 

As a keen surfer I draw from my connection with the water whilst riding waves as inspiration for my work.  One of my favourite waves is the Severn Bore, a tidal wave that pushes up the Bristol Channel into the Severn Estuary.  Surfing through the Gloucestershire countryside, often for miles on one wave, is an awe inspiring experience.  The tidal nature of the river provides a wealth of drift wood or ‘Bore Wood’ as I like to call it, which I often use in my work.

I love the challenge of sculpting wildlife and I try to create pieces that can be placed in a setting where they could be mistaken for reality, if only for a moment.  I have recently been linking with wildlife organisations, donating to protect endangered species that I have sculpted.  If my sculpture can go some way towards protecting the animals I am portraying I may have found the perfect job.