Description
Quiet Unfurling
Quiet Unfurling is part of my Hidden Botanicals series, a body of work that explores the relationship between nature and pewter, preserving and protecting a fleeting moment in time.
Inspired by the quiet beauty of the woodland floor, the sculpture suggests leaves and fern fronds gently unfurling as they emerge from the pewter. The composition invites closer observation, revealing subtle textures and intricate details that might otherwise go unnoticed, much like discovering hidden treasures while walking through a woodland.
Each sculpture begins as a flat sheet of pewter. Using traditional raising techniques, I gradually transform the metal by hand, carefully hammering and shaping it until the flowing sculptural form slowly emerges. Every curve is created through this slow, considered process, giving each piece its own unique character and ensuring no two sculptures can ever be the same.
The botanical elements are carefully preserved using specialist techniques before being incorporated into the sculpture, allowing them to retain their natural beauty while becoming a permanent part of the piece. Developed through years of experimentation, this unique process enables me to combine delicate natural materials with hand-raised pewter, creating sculptures that appear to transition seamlessly from organic form to metal.
Pewter’s unusually low melting point makes this possible. It allows me to capture fragile leaves and fern fronds without destroying them, preserving their intricate forms while creating the illusion that they are gradually emerging from, and disappearing back into, the metal.
Measuring 40cm in diameter, Quiet Unfurling has a strong sculptural presence while retaining a quiet elegance. It works beautifully as a centrepiece on a dining table, coffee table or console, and is equally at home displayed on a sideboard, pedestal or gallery plinth where it can be appreciated from every angle. As you move around the sculpture, different botanical elements are revealed, rewarding closer observation and inviting moments of discovery.
For more than thirty years I have explored the creative possibilities of pewter, continually questioning how far the material can be pushed. The Hidden Botanicals series is the result of that ongoing curiosity, combining traditional pewtersmithing techniques with an innovative process developed through years of experimentation. Every sculpture is individually handmade in my Sussex studio and is completely unique, making Quiet Unfurling a one-of-a-kind contemporary artwork.
Width 40cm x Depth 30cm x Height 18cm
About the Botanicals
The preserved leaves, ivy and ferns used within this sculpture have undergone a specialist preservation process in which their natural moisture is replaced with a glycerine-based solution. This allows the botanicals to retain their softness, flexibility and natural character rather than becoming brittle or dry.
The honesty seed heads are naturally dried and have been carefully selected for their delicate, translucent quality, providing a beautiful contrast to the preserved foliage and sculpted pewter elements.
With appropriate indoor care, the preserved botanicals are intended to remain beautiful indefinitely, retaining their softness and flexibility thanks to the specialist glycerine preservation process. Each sculpture is supplied with a soft brush for the gentle removal of dust. Displaying the work away from prolonged direct sunlight and excessive humidity will help preserve the natural materials so the sculpture can be enjoyed for generations.
Payment Options
Interest-free instalment payments are available on this sculpture. Reserve your artwork with an initial deposit and spread the remaining balance over an agreed period. Please get in touch to discuss the payment option that best suits you.
Delivery
Collection from my West Sussex studio is welcome by appointment.
Local delivery may also be available by arrangement. Alternatively, delivery can be organised throughout the UK, with the cost calculated according to the size of the sculpture and the delivery destination.
If you have any questions about delivery or would like to discuss the sculpture before purchasing, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
