The funding will allow me to explore a vital and transformative development in my artistic practice: incorporating clay and slip casting into my work. To date, my sculptures have primarily been made in metal, predominantly bronze, which, while impactful, is both costly to produce and often inaccessible to a wider audience. This funding will remove a significant barrier to production and enable me to broaden the scope and accessibility of my work.
By moving into clay, I will be able to realise a greater volume of creative ideas and further develop existing bodies of work with increased freedom and experimentation. The funding will support the purchase of essential equipment, including a 3D printer for prototyping, as well as high-quality materials required for clay modeling and casting. It will also cover specialist training in advanced mold-making, slip casting, and tile making—skills critical to mastering this medium and ensuring professional-level outcomes.
This shift in practice aligns with my long-held ambition to make art more accessible, both financially and physically. Clay allows for more democratic production methods, enabling me to create work that retains artistic integrity while being more attainable for a broader audience. The bursary will not only remove financial obstacles but will also provide the technical tools and knowledge I need to evolve as an artist and take my practice to a new level.
As an artist and sculptor, I believe my work can play a meaningful role in enhancing and raising the profile of the creative arts in Darlington.
My practice focuses on capturing movement and energy through sharp, angular forms, creating pieces that are both contemporary and accessible to a wide audience.
I’m interested in opportunities for community engagement and am open to offering hands-on workshops or talks. I aim to make art approachable and relevant to people of all ages and backgrounds.
Living with disability I hope to champion the stage for all and show the importance of art not just in respect of cultural pride but also for health and wellbeing.
I am a sculptor whose work focuses on capturing moments of tension and transformation—those fleeting points of physical or emotional intensity. My sculptures are characterised by sharp, angular forms that convey motion and energy, often realised through multi-faceted surfaces and clean lines. This approach reflects my personal experience with chronic illness, using sculpture as a means to explore the fragility and resilience of the human condition.
Since 2018, I have concentrated on large-scale public artworks, with pieces installed in various towns and cities across the UK. Notably, my 2.5-metre-tall sculpture of a bladed athlete was commissioned for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and now stands outside Birmingham New Street Station.
In 2024, I exhibited in the Shrewsbury museum as part of the Shrewsbury Arts Trail, presenting eight life-size collagraph prints on paper alongside several other leading contemporary British artists as part of the “inspirational” exhibition.
In November 2024, I held a major exhibition at Soulton Hall, showcasing my largest collection to date. The exhibition featured monumental prints and relief sculptures inspired by Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’, exploring the play’s themes through dynamic forms.
Although a degree in architecture was started, chronic illness prevented this being completed and allowed me to pursue my passion for art and sculpture.
I have been fortunate to receive several grants and awards that have supported and shaped my development as a sculptor. In 2017, I received a grant from Telford & Wrekin Council’s Young People’s Grant Scheme, which played a key role in allowing me to pursue sculpture full-time. This early support laid the foundation for a professional practice and my larger scale commissions.
In 2020, I was awarded The Arts Society Wrekin’s Frank Hartill Arts Award. This bursary enabled me to collaborate with a major UK foundry, and gave me the freedom to realise maquettes that had previously remained uncast due to cost, broadening my creative output.
In addition to these grants, I was highly commended by the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA)—an honour that affirmed the direction and quality of my work among established and emerging artists alike.
These recognitions have been invaluable in developing my practice, enabling me to create more ambitious work that reflects my ongoing exploration of movement, form, and emotional intensity.
I run and manage my own studio space. On occasion I work with either alone or other artists to curate shows and exhibitions, I have been a key player in the Wellington arts Society, a collective group of artists who have put on exhibitions and created perminant public art installations
In 2020, I was commissioned by Telford & Wrekin Council to design a memorial sculpture commemorating the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, marking the end of World War II. The piece was intended for the Peace Garden in Telford Town Park, serving as a lasting tribute to those who served and sacrificed during the conflict. My design aimed to capture the themes of reflection and resilience, aligning with the garden’s purpose as a space for contemplation and remembrance.
In 2022, Birmingham Museums Trust acquired a bronze maquette of my sculpture One Giant Leap for Humankind, originally created for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The full-scale sculpture, standing 2.5 metres tall, was installed outside Birmingham New Street Station and depicts a T64 para sprinter, inspired by athlete Ben Pearson. This piece celebrates resilience and the achievements of para athletes, aiming to promote inclusivity and representation in public art.
The maquette’s inclusion in Birmingham Museums’ collection ensures that the sculpture’s message of empowerment and diversity continues to reach wider audiences. It stands as a testament to the evolving narrative of disability in the arts and the importance of visibility for underrepresented communities.
My work has been featured in various arts publications, newspapers, and curated online platforms, helping to raise the profile of my practice and share my approach to sculpture with a wider audience.
The BBC covered my participation in the Shrewsbury Arts Trail, noting that my sculptures were displayed alongside works by renowned artists such as Salvador Dalí, Banksy, and Damien Hirst. Also covered by the BBC was my commission for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, focusing on the sculpture’s celebration of para-athletes and public art in the city.
The Guardian also highlighted my work in its coverage of the Shrewsbury Arts Trail, mentioning two of my sculptures installed in the Quarry Park’s Dingle garden.
Additionally, my work has been included in curated collections on platforms like Saatchi Art.
I am represented by three esteemed galleries across the Midlands, each playing a pivotal role in showcasing and supporting my sculptural practice.
The Soden Collection in Shrewsbury has been instrumental in my career, hosting my first commercial gallery solo exhibition and has facilitated artist talks and public engagement events.
In Birmingham, I am represented by Colley Ison Gallery, located in the city’s business district. This gallery is known for its diverse roster of artists and has included my work in exhibitions alongside renowned figures such as Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst.
Lambert Fine Art in Stratford-upon-Avon has recently welcomed me into their collection. Specialising in 19th to 21st-century works, Lambert Fine Art offers a platform for my sculptures to reach new audiences in a region rich in cultural heritage this link seemed logical with my recent focus on Shakespearian characters.
I have not taken part in any residency or artist placement scheme
Email: jacob@jacobchandler.co.uk
Address: 22 MARLBOROUGH ROAD, HADLEY, Telford, England, TF1 5LN, GB
Local Authority: Telford and Wrekin
