animal-sculpture

New Web Site

2011-09-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

Sitting Bear Sculpture

Thought this might be a different sculpture to show on the blog. I have always liked bears and have been looking for a finish on the ceramic sculpture that would really suit the subject. I almost stummbled across this finish playing about with copper and a bronze glaze I like to use sometimes. When I opened the kiln there was this almost leaden black glaze which has a sheen rather than a shine. It really seems to suit the bear. A happy discovery.!

I have been busy recently creating a new web site to show the latest developments in my work. I seem to have moved in my ceramics into more often using bronze glazes. I have also begun to do more bronzes and bronze resin. It seemed to be confusing the original web site so my wife is creating a new site

http://www.hollingworth-bronze-sculpture.co.uk/

If you have time to let us know what you thnk of the developing site it would be very helpful. It is unfinished but growing rapidly.

Lying Hare Sculpture

2011-05-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

I meant to put this picture up last week, somehow the time just passed too quickly. The client is coming to collect the hare commission next week so I thought I ought to at least put up one more picture today.

Lying hare sculpture - bronze glaze- mounted on a marble base

It has worked very well and will be a contrast to the othet Crouching Hare. Photographing sculpture is always difficult. Did this in the garden but took it in a shady place. Took out some of the background but I am not very expert at this. Still it does show the piece before it goes.

Have a look at my web site if you are interested in my hare sculptures http://www.animal-sculpture.co.uk/

Completed commission - Garden Hares

2011-05-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

Another finished commission now finished. This was a great commission for 4 hares to go into a garden. Just the type of sculpture I enjoy doing. Working out how four sculptures could work together in one garden was a good challenge. Just mounted the first one onto it's base. I always think this sets them off and at the same time makes them stable in a garden. I use a heavy piece of polishes marble; it works a treat !

This is a crouching hare based on a painting owned by the client.

Back to work now to mount up the other sculptures. Will put pictures up here as soon as possible.

New Animal Sculptures

2011-05-03T04:32:00.000-07:00

Quite a lot to write about as I have come to the end of two animal sculpture commissions. It's always a time of mixed feelings as the work has been so enjoyable and now is over. I guess its the pleasure of actually making that keeps me going ! It is good to be paid for something I enjoy doing as well ! Have to be realistic I guess.

The Cockerel finally finished and patinated ! Cast by Pangolin Editions who are considered to be the best casters in Europe, if not worldwide. It has been a pleasure to work with them on this commission. Do check out their web site to see how it is done.

This is the first of an edition of 12. For more information visit my web site

I have also finished a commission for four garden hares. These were made in ceramic and finished in a bronze glaze. It works very well but of course is not real foundry bronze.

Here they are -

This is a picture taken in the studio after firing. They have all now been finished and mounted onto bases. Busy today but will get the pictures of this finished commission up later this month.

Bronze Cockeral

2011-04-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

There is something special about foundry cast bronze. It picks up every detail and even shade of detail in a unique way. The work seems to sing and glow!

Just back from collecting a sculpture from Pangolin Editions. The picture above shows the sculpture just after it was cast and chased. Having the finished sculpture photographed new week. I will post some photographs then.

About Brian Hollingworth - Bronze Animal Sculptor

2011-01-12T07:35:00.000-08:00

I am often about how I started making sculpture and students using my web site get in touch by email wanting some background information. I have decided to use this blog to fill in some of the details. Have a look at the web site also http://www.animal-sculpture.co.uk/
So here goes.....

I have been working as a full time professional sculptor for the last 35 years. My work has been widely exhibited and is held in collections worldwide. I have studied all the animals I sculpts and regards knowledge of an animal as essential before creating any sculpture. I have sketched all his life and has a detailed knowledge of anatomy and the movement of animals. It is this intimate knowledge that gives life to the animal sculpture.

My aim in the sculpture is to to capture a moment if life in every work. All my ceramic animal sculptures are all one off originals. Recently I has begun to make bronze sculpture of his animals. These are cast in very limited editions and are very collectable. A small number of pieces are also cast in bronze resin
Every sculpture begins as a block of clay that is skilfully moulded into the animal form. I always had this ability to make forms from a very early age. It was something that was encouraged as a child so I guess it was an innate talent to see life in three dimensional form. I was formally educated in ceramics at the Art College in Sheffield and continued in the sculpture department of Nottingham Art College. However from these beginnings I has developed methods of my own. Each animal sculpture has its own problems and it is the solving of these problems that has kept me fascinated throughout my long career.

I was recognised early and in 1978 he won the Holbrooke Award from Nottingham Museum and Art gallery. This was followed by receiving the Best Craftsman in Show at the Royal Bath and West Show. During the show I was introduced to her majesty Queen Elizabeth and showed her his work.

My work was shown on the BBC during a lunchtime programme called Pebble Mile at One. It was this that launched my work to a wider audience. A number of commissions followed and work began to be exhibited in galleries throughout the UK. I was fortunate in being able to concentrate solely upon my creative work moving to my present studio in1996

My work has been exhibited throughout Britain in galleries but I now concentrates on showing work through own web site. Seeing the possibilities of reaching a wider public the site was launched in 1999. At this stage the internet was quite slow - sometimes called the 'World Wide Wait' However gradually the web site prospered and my work soon became known to a wider audience. The variety of commissions received through the web has developed my work and kept me always interested and challenged.

Finished Gorilla in the Garden

2010-09-24T03:07:00.000-07:00

Just realised that I never posted the picture of the gorilla I made to go into a garden. This silverback gorilla was life size and proved to be a very enjoyable sculpture to make. I have blogged about it before but never showed the finished sculpture.
When it was delevered the client was having the garden modified to fit the gorilla sculpture. I can make work to a clients ideas. Usually there is a detailed discussion to arrive at the design. It is always a challenge to make a bespoke piece of sculpture. I will find some more pictures and add them to the blog later.
My web site has pictures of this being made.

Garden Cockerel Sculpture in Bronze Resin

2010-09-23T06:07:00.000-07:00

Garden Sculpture of a Cockerel

Here it is looking as if he already owns the place. I was so pleased to see the finished sculpture of the cockerel safely back and now placed in my garden. I will need to photograph it well before putting on the web site. It weighs quite a lot so had to be carried carefully. At the moment it is sitting on the wooden deck. I like the way the cockerel sculpture looks as if it has always been there and is very much in charge.

I think he would suit putting up slightly higher maybe on a wall. I am planning to visit a friend with a very splendid garden and see if the cockerel sculpture will photograph well there.

My next work is to complete a set of hares for a client. These are going to be created in clay and high-fired to stoneware
temperatures. The final finish will be using a bronze glaze that works very well on ceramic garden sculpture.

Cockerel Sculpture in Progress

2010-09-22T03:46:00.001-07:00

The picture is work in progress on a commission to make a Bantam Cockeral. There is an armature inside the clay to support the cockerel sculpture as it is made in clay. This was a trial run just to work on the form, texture and position. It was meant just to be for fun and to solve all the problems. Turned out rather well so decided to have it cast in Bronze Resin. It should look good and would suit a garden very well. I am specialising in garden sculpture as part of my work.

Off today to collect it from the caster. I will put some pictures on the blog tomorrow so everyone can have a look. Here are some pictures of it being made - enjoy !

Gorilla Sculpture in the Garden?

2009-05-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

I really love the wonderful world of primates. I have spent many days drawing gorillas and orang-utans at zoos all over the world. At my local zoo Twycross, I have spent so much time sketching that 'Joe' , the huge silverback, and I developed a very special relationship. Joe often hid himself from the public in his nest at the back of his enclosure when he got fed up with the noise and fuss of the many children who came to see him.

However whenever I slipped into the back of the viewing area Joe would climb down and come right up to the window, rest his elbows on the inner ledge and almost pose for his picture to be drawn. If I moved away to look at the other gorillas Joe would register his disapproval by knocking on the glass until I came back.
This interest culminated in a wonderful commission to make a life size figure of a silverback to be cast in bronze resin to go into a clients garden.
Joe was the basis and I tried to emphasis the massive presence and wonderful stillness and calm of this magnificent creature. The clay figure was moulded and then a cast made. The sculpture now sits in a secluded place in the client's garden. The mould was so good that up to 12 copies of this magnificent sculpture could be made.