About The Piece
James grew up in Cornwall, an ancient and wild part of the UK which inspired his love for nature. It became obvious from a young age that he enjoyed creativity and craft and it was after working as an apprentice to a blacksmith in Cornwall that his sculpture was born. Blacksmithing gave James the traditional skills and techniques of working metal and provided the platform on which James has developed and refined his unique self-taught style of working with scrap metal, which largely relies on welding, grinding and the hammer! Since 2009 James’ style and portfolio has evolved through working from life and countless hours spent in the workshop. James’ ambition for each sculpture is to locate the personality of each subject and express an emotion and story of a moment in the wild. James opened his first solo exhibition (O N E W I L D) in November 2019. He partnered with Fauna and Flora International and raised £11,000 to support conservation efforts around the world. “Contrasts sit at the core of my creative inspiration. Balancing the harsh medium of scrap metal with the beauty of the natural form is the cornerstone of my sculpture. Dangerous Waters – Hammerhead Shark acts as a portal to a moment in the life of this wild animal. Inviting you to marvel at its incredible elegance and power, whilst being drawn into the texture and expressiveness of the scrap metal medium.”

At least 50% of the proceeds from this sale will support the charitable work of David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) and our ground-based conservation partners across Africa and Asia.