From an early age Carl has been intrigued and inspired by the natural world, drawing, studying and admiring its beauty.
Carl started to develop his interest in sculpting after leaving art school. Combining different materials and learning how they behaved with each other were all part of one long experiment that is ever changing to this day.
A notable highlight of Carl’s career was a commission for the 'International Bird of Prey Centre' in Newent Gloucestershire in 2012. The completed bronze Peregrine Falcon was presented to HRH The Princess Royal by Carl to acknowledge her support as patron for the centre.
Residing near the Suffolk coast, benefitting from living on a peninsular, gives Carl the range of differing habitat and ecosystems that supports his subjects. The estuaries in particular, with their migrating birdlife and mammals that frequent the area throughout the seasons, provide a real source of inspiration for Carl’s work.
Carl’s artistic process is organic in itself; sketching, photographing and watching the subject matter gives him an innate understanding of the species, as well as hours spent in hedgerows and on marshes, gaining intimate knowledge and taking photographs of a species to enable a sculpture to start its life is all part of the process that lends itself to the final creation you see before you.
It is imperative to Carl to honour the beauty and movement of each animal, celebrating them in their individuality. The process of sculpting initially in clay, either water-based or oil-based, is known as the 'master'. The piece is scrutinised and adjusted to convey the pose and anatomy of the chosen animal; accurately crafting the overall shape and stance plays a vital part in conveying the animal’s size, movements and character, so that the final piece portrays an honest and balanced likeness.
Carl's work has been celebrated for his unique and recognisable style and craftmanship, his pieces now reside in treasured private collections all around the world.