I have been fascinated by the structures found in the root balls of trees. Always hidden, only visible when the tree is ripped from its native soil. The roots gradually reveal the secret structures as they are washed clean and the dense thatch of root hairs are removed. Once they have been cleaned and the bark is removed, creating these sculptures feels like an editing exercise. Trimming the branches that are too flimsy to survive, removing the ones whose presence don't seem to enhance the visual impact of the design and paring away the bark, the natural colour of the wood underneath is revealed. The sculptures seem to form themselves. If I try to impose too much of my own vision on the piece I feel it is less successful. I need to try to listen to what the wood is telling me about itself.

Root Ball II, Ox, Laurel 190cm h X 130cm w X 95cm d