Steve’s work centres on a dismantling of place and event, separating out the individual components.
What follows is a process of enquiry and investigation with the outcome a reassembly and representation.
This applies whether the artwork is a public commission or a smaller piece intended for a gallery.
It’s an attempt to make sense of the world, combining a modernist (optimistic) vision of the world, with a postmodern fragmentation, reflecting on the one hand the banal and hubristic, while on the other the essential joy of place, object, person and event that combine to make up contemporary life.
His practice takes place in his studio at Spike Island, Bristol. Working there since his move from Wales in 2001 he focuses on large sculptures in durable materials for half of his time, while the other half concentrates on smaller gallery based installations.
2013 was an exciting year – a large body of coloured sculptures and monochrome drawings were produced up until the summer. An exciting visit to the Venice Bienale in August was followed by the completion in October of Steve’s largest work to date. ‘Wave’ is 115 metres of sculptural steelwork for Weston-super-mare.
Feeding into my practice as an artist is a part-time MFA at Bath Spa University, scheduled to finish in 2015.
Education
2013- MA Fine Art, Bath Spa University
2000 Iron casting, Berllanderi studios, Wales
1990 Stone carving and masonry, Bath College
1987 Bronze casting, Bath Art college
1976-9 BA(Hons) Fine Art, UWE Bristol
1975-6 Foundation course WSCAD, Surrey
1973-5 Engineering course, London
Employment
1990-2013 Self employed artist
2007-2011 Visiting lecturer, Applied Art BA, Weston College, Somerset
2000 Visiting lecturer, Bath Spa University.
1998 Visiting lecturer, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff
1996 Visiting lecturer, University of Mid Glamorgan, Wales
1987-90 Stone carving workshop supervisor, Avon County Council
1983-7 Public art and gallery sculptor
1981-3 Public art workshop supervisor, Avon County Council
1979-81 Industrial Archaeology Restoration Engineer, UK
Memberships
2005-2007 Elected chairman of Spike Island Studios, Bristol
1998 Elected bursary member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1995 Elected member of Bath Society of Artists
1989–2002 Elected Chairman, Changing Places Arts Trust
Residencies
2007-2008 Artist in residence, Bristol Metropolitan College (new build)
1999 Artist in residence, Congresbury, North Somerset
1995-6 Artist in residence, Rhonda Valley, Arts Council of Wales
1994-5 Artist in residence, Hartcliffe, Bristol
1993-4 Artist in residence, St Pauls, Bristol
Gallery Exhibitions
2001-2013 Spike Island Open Studios, Bristol
2011 White Loft Gallery, Backwell, Bristol
2008 ‘Emporium’, Penny Brohn Centre, Bristol
2008 ‘St. Ives society of Artists Sculpture and Prints’, Cornwall
1995 Bristol Museum and Art Gallery (Solo Exhibition)
1993-1994 Artspace Gallery, 3D and Ginger Gallery, Bristol
1993 South West Open, Taunton, Exeter and St Ives.
1992 Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Bath and 3D Gallery Bristol
1990 111 Gallery, Islington, London
Temporary artworks and Performances
2010 ‘Schrodinger’s Cat’, 3 day performance, The Dispatch Office
2009 ‘WI ladies’, 3 day performance, Spike Island Bristol
1997 ‘Random Portrait’, 8 tons unfired brick clay, Southville Arts Centre, Bristol
1993 ‘Frog and Robot’, 10 tons unfired brick clay, King Street Gallery, Bristol
Selected Public Commissions
2013 ‘Wave’, zinc coated steel & aluminium castings115m long x 1m high, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset
2012 ‘Strata’, 2m high ‘Ball of fire’, 1.8m high ‘Dead train’, 4m high, galvanised steel Cinderford, Forest of Dean
2011 ‘Large Fountain’, 4m high and 3m wide ‘Small Fountain’, 2m high, zinc coated steel zinc coated steel, Sainsburys store, Emerson Green, South Glos.
2010 ‘Shiv’, life-size bronze, (to be sited)
2009 ‘Street’, 10 off 3m x 2m high aluminium panels (with poet Ralph Hoyte), Bristol Metropolitan College, Bristol
2008 ‘Platform 1’, Brunel 200 project, 16m long x 5m high, printed aluminium plates,Temple Meads Station, Bristol
2007 ‘Trader’, 3.5m high x1.5m, steel and cast resin Staple Hill, S.Glos
2007 ‘300 years’, 3 figures, 2m high galvanised steel, Strodes College, Surrey
2006 ‘Tunnel’, 2m high x 5m diameter, galvanised and painted steel with aluminium castings, Bristol Bath railway path
2005 ‘Mine and yours’, 2m high x 9m long, steel, (text by poet Ralph Hoyte), Gloucester Hospital
2004 'Stannery Men’, 4 galvanised steel 2m high each, Camborne, Cornwall
2004 ‘Handgates’, 1m high x 3m long and 2m long. Galvanised and painted steel and aluminium Castings, Wiveliscombe, Devon
2003 ‘Spiral’, 4m high x 6m dia. galvanised and painted steel with iron castings
‘Hands and leaves’,14 tree grilles, 1.5m dia. each, Emersons Green, S.Glos.
2002-3 ‘Worle panels’, galvanised and painted steel with iron castings, 4 off 2m high x 3m long each. Weston-super-mare, Somerset
2003 ‘Fireman’, life-size bronze, Avon Fire Brigade Headquarters, Bristol.
2001 ‘Gates’, 4.2m x 2m high and 1.5 x 2.5m high galvanised steel and iron castings, Yate, Glos.
2000 ‘Pass in the night’, aluminium floor etching, 4m dia.
‘Globe’, bronze sphere, 1 metre dia. City of Bristol College, Bristol
2000 ‘Aeros’, 2 panels 7m long x 1.3 high each, Filton, Bristol
1998 ‘Contents’, painted steel and iron castings, 35m long x 1.2 metres high, Ystrad Mynach, South Wales
1990-2000 18 street sculptures in cast resin, forged steel, or neon, sizes between 2 and 3 m high, Bristol City Council
1996 ‘Wheels and fish’,‘Woodlouse’, ‘Elephant and chimney’, ‘Winged horse’, ‘Wheel and tree’, 1.5m high each, iron and hardwood, Arts Council of Wales, S.Wales
1995 ‘Portraits’, 25 life-size figures, aluminium/resin castings Hartcliffe, Bristol
1994 ‘Sculpture Railings’ painted steel and iron castings 25 m long x 3.5m high, St Paul’s Adventure Playground, Bristol
1993 ‘Waiting’,10 figures, galvanised steel, 1.8 m high each, Bristol/Bath railway path, Warmley, Wiltshire
1992 ‘Fountain’, cast concrete and galvanised steel, 3 m high x 5m dia. Sustrans, Bristol/Bath railway path
1991 ‘Saxon’, ‘Green man’, ‘Head’, 3, 5 and 8 tons, stone, Ashton Court, Somerset
1990 ‘Gateways’, 2 off 6m long x 3m high, painted iron and steel, Easton, Bristol
1988 ‘Man and Electric Eel’, stone, 2 m high, Bristol
1986 ‘Horse and Man’, bronze resin, life size, Bristol City Planning Dept. Bristol
1985 ‘St.Odelia’, bronze, life size, Bristol Eye Hospital.
1984 ‘John Cabot’, bronze, 1.5 life size, Arnolfini Gallery Bristol