I would use the bursary to undertake a much needed period of reflection and experimentation whilst building upon an idea I have for a new body of work. My work to date has been focused mainly upon the grown environment (fungi, roots, mycelium…) but I would love to introduce a human element to my sculptures. My work is inspired by the sacredness of nature, a shared consciousness in all living things and mental health. Moving forward I would love to create pieces celebrating a symbiotic relationship between human beings and nature. This is something I have been sketching ideas for since childhood but have been waiting for the right time to bring into existence in a 3d form. I would use the time and financial freedom this bursary would allow to experiment and find a new approach to how I create. I would be able to spend time working in clay at a smaller scale in order to work out the forms and how they will fit together and experiment with different compositions before creating larger versions in stone. I want to approach the human form as organic rather than too representational so my idea is to create almost assemblage like sculptures with figures constructed from several stones. Natural growing forms would be intertwined to encompass a unity between man and nature rather than as two separate entities. I would end this period with finished works allowing me to exhibit. This would help to move my practise forward as I would be able to create substantial work which I feel will shape my future as an artist. I feel this message is so important to me but also as a global issue regarding our ever shrinking natural world and all the species of plants and animals we need to protect.
I have only had one solo show show to date but I was thrilled to find out the gallery experienced record numbers throughout my two month long show at Hignell Gallery in Mayfair entitled The Cactus House. We gained great press including features in The Guardian and Timeout London which brought in huge amounts of people who ordinarily might not have found themselves in a contemporary art gallery in London’s Art District. I like to think my work is very approachable as it bridges the gap between the worlds of contemporary art and traditional crafts whilst exploring recognisable forms that are almost never immortalised in stone. Through my work I try to celebrate the beauty of nature but also to capture its fragility and importance in the world as we know it. I feel this new chapter introducing the importance of a symbiotic relationship between the natural world and ourselves is such a huge issue in the world at present and will only become more important going forward. By voicing this through contemporary hand crafted sculptural works, I hope this would raise the profile of the creative arts in the area.
I am a stone sculptor based in Dorset. I originally trained in Architectural Stone Work and Conservation at Weymouth College here in Dorset before going on to specialise as an Architectural Stone Carver at City and Guilds of London Art School. After four years combined training I went on to work throughout London upon numerous prestigious conservation projects including The Albert Memorial, Tower of London, Highgate Cemetery, Parliament, Kew Palace. I have a gargoyle on St Georges Chapel Windsor and have had work unveiled by the Queen. In 2013 I won a duke of Gloucester Award for my work. In around 2016 My own sculptural works which I made alongside working on site were noticed by Hignell Gallery and after a solo show with them I decided to relocate to Dorset to pursue my dream of working solely as a sculptor. I have exhibited widely since then and continue to do so. My work is in private collections throughout the UK, Europe, Hong Kong and the USA. Alongside my own work I also teach stone carving courses in order to excite a new generation of carvers and help preserve this wonderful craft. Most recently I have shown work at The Affordable Art Fair with Lucinda Dalton Gallery. Last year my work was selected for the ING Discerning Eye exhibition held at the Mall Galleries in London. My work won the sculpture prize during the show. I am currently preparing work for the first ever exhibition held at Houghton Lodge Gardens starting next month. I was invited to show here alongside several other leading artist/craftspersons working in stone so this is quite a unique show. I have also just been selected to show some of my large fungi sculptures at Glastonbury Festival so am looking forward to sharing my work in this way and enjoying the festival.
-October 2009-June 2011-City and Guilds of London Art School: Post Graduate Diploma in Historic/Architectural Stone Carving- 1st
-September 2007-June 2009-Weymouth College: Foundation degree in Applied architectural Stonework and Conservation- Foundation Degree with Merit
2024 Sculpture prize for work shown at ING Discerning Eye exhibition. Mall Galleries, London
2019 National Sculpture Prize finalist. One of ten artists commissioned to produce a sculpture for NSP summer exhibition
2013 Duke of Gloucester Award for high level of skill demonstrated as a carver and mason
2011 Masons Company Prize for quality of craftsmanship
2011 Winner of The Honourable Society of the Knights of the Round Table Award for high quality work
I teach stone carving courses in my yard but apart from that no.
Dorset council commissioned me to make three sculptures highlighting the rare sea life off our coast here in Dorset to be installed as part of a sculpture trail. The sculpture trail was installed to highlight the addition of free water refill points along the coastline in Weymouth to help reduce plastic waste. They also commissioned me for their campaign “Don’t be a tosser” which was to raise awareness of the harmful effects of dumping rubbish along our coastlines. For this I carved a coke can from a natural piece of Dorset limestone looking as if emerging from the stone like fossilised waste. This was used in their advertising campaign.
2024
Aesthetica Magazine – 15/11/24
2023
The Times – 10/04/2023
The Sunday Telegraph – 02/04/2023
The Daily Telegraph- 16/01/2023
2022
commons&sense man magazine Tokyo – Issue 33
The Daily Telegraph – 12/08/2022
2021
Country Life Magazine- 31/03/2021
Daily Telegraph – 29/03/21
2020
Stone Ideas
Country Life – 14/10/20
Sunday Telegraph – 4/10/20
Homes & Gardens – One to watch (August)
The English Garden
The Daily Telegraph 20/04/20
Fillerzine – The Earth Issue
2019
Stone Specialist
Stone Ideas Magazine
Quotes
2018
Collins Botanical Bible
Sunday Times Magazine 24/06/2018
Country and Townhouse
Period Living
2017
Timeout Magazine
Chelsea Fringe
Good Life
The Londonist
Wallpaper Magazine
Fabric Magazine
Mayfair Curated
The London Perspective
Town Magazine
The Joy of Plants
AnOther Magazine
Jermyn Street Journal
Reckless Gardener
The Herbarium Project
House Beautiful
Creative Boom
Wall Street International
I have been represented by Hignell Gallery since 2017 but last month they decided to drop all but three of their artists for unknown reasons. I am soon to be working with Sculpture Source which is the online brainchild of Pangolin Gallery. I have just had my first meeting with them and am currently preparing works ready for them to show. Thoroughly looking forward to a relationship with them. I am also represented by Lucinda Dalton Gallery who takes my work to The Affordable Art Fair, pop up shows and alike.
Email: benrussellsculptor@gmail.com
Address: 42 Fishweir Fields, Bradpole, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3HF, GB
Local Authority: Dorset Council
