Public Art

In spring 2024, I was commissioned to create a life-size New Forest Pony sculpture for a show garden by the Beardy Gardener at the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair at Beaulieu Motor Museum. Inspired by the majesty and beauty of semi-wild Dartmoor and New Forest ponies, this sculpture was carefully hand-shaped to capture the natural movement, character, and presence of these iconic creatures.

The show garden featuring the sculpture was awarded a Gold Medal, highlighting the overall quality, creativity, and impact of the installation. This commission demonstrates how willow sculpture can create immersive, life-size representations of wildlife and enhance public exhibition or garden spaces. . for more details 

In spring 2024, I was commissioned by Go Southampton to create dragons for the city’s Chinese / Lunar New Year celebrations. The project included one large dragon sculpture and 13 smaller “baby” dragons, each with its own character, pose, and expression, designed to delight visitors and bring the celebrations to life across public spaces.

Following the success of this project, in spring 2025 I was invited back to create a second large dragon along with several snake sculptures. The dragons were displayed at IKEA and John Lewis for one month, engaging a wide audience and bringing dynamic, handcrafted willow sculptures into prominent city locations. These sculptures will return for display in the coming year, continuing to celebrate cultural traditions through creative public art.

Wildlife Creations – Itchen Valley Country Park, Summer 2022

In summer 2022, I was commissioned by the countryside service at Eastleigh Borough Council to create nine willow animals for Itchen Valley Country Park. The project included four grey squirrels in different poses at double life-size, a kestrel, a tawny owl, two magpies, and a woodpecker—species all commonly found in the park.

The sculptures were designed to engage visitors, particularly children, encouraging them to explore the barn and spot the hidden creatures throughout the space.

Due to the elevated display location, each animal needed to be safely secured to the wooden beams of the barn and café area. I engineered an internal stainless steel spine and legs with spikes to anchor the sculptures, ensuring stability and durability. Different willow strains were used for each animal to bring texture, character, and natural variation to the pieces, creating a lifelike yet handcrafted aesthetic.

In summer 2022, I was awarded Developing Your Creative Practice funding from Arts Council England, which enabled me to undertake a 10-month residency at the Tudor House Museum and Gardens in Southampton, running from September 2022 to June 2023.

During the residency, I spent two days per week experimenting and creating new willow works in response to the unique history, architecture, and gardens of the site. This time allowed me to explore new techniques, develop ideas for future public art projects, and engage deeply with the museum environment.

The residency produced a body of work inspired by the museum’s heritage and gardens, demonstrating how willow sculpture can respond to context, history, and space. For more details about the project, visit my [sister website]. For more information about the venue, visit the Tudor House Museum and Gardens.