Slate | Cloud Tree
Cloud Tree emerged following a visit to the Far East, where I was struck by the sight of gardeners working high above the ground, carefully pruning cloud trees into precise, floating forms. Standing beneath them, looking up through the canopy toward the sky, the trees felt as much sculptural as botanical: their scale, balance and silhouettes creating a powerful spatial experience. That memory stayed with me and became the starting point for this work.
The sculpture comprises seven slate spheres of varying sizes, mounted on a galvanised steel structure that lifts them into the air and gives the form an almost weightless presence. Created for a collector already familiar with my Sphere works, Cloud Tree explores elevation and suspension, allowing solid stone to appear light and dispersed, engaging directly with the surrounding space.
The spheres are constructed from blue slate, sourced from Kirkby-in-Furness in the north west of England and selected by hand before being worked in my studio. This was an early piece in my career and one I see as an important marker in the development of my thinking around form, balance, and structure.
Cloud Tree remains a work I would welcome revisiting and sculptures of this nature may be commissioned and developed further in the future.
We would love to hear from you
Every sculpture begins with a conversation. Whether you’re considering an existing work, or exploring a bespoke commission, get in touch to discuss possibilities and availability.
