Contemporary hand-formed stainless steel bird sculpture by British sculptor James Sutton, part of the Bird Studies collection for private collectors and interiors.
Bird Studies is an evolving collection of individually hand-formed stainless steel sculptures exploring the shape, movement and character of birds.
Each piece begins with a simplified interpretation of the bird’s form. Stainless steel is cut, hammered and shaped by hand, reducing the subject to sweeping lines, planes and silhouettes while retaining a recognisable sense of movement and personality.
Rather than reproducing birds anatomically, I am interested in capturing a moment — a turn of the body, the extension of a wing or the sense of a bird about to take flight.
Individual sculptures and small collections
These smaller works offer a more intimate counterpart to my larger Birds in Flight installations.
Individual birds can be displayed as standalone sculptures or brought together in pairs and groups, allowing different relationships and compositions to develop between them.
Their reflective stainless-steel surfaces respond to changing daylight and surrounding colours, meaning the sculptures continually alter according to their setting and viewpoint.
They are suited to contemporary interiors, gardens, private collections, offices and hospitality spaces, either as individual pieces or as part of a larger arrangement.
From individual bird to architectural installation
The ideas explored within these smaller sculptures also form the basis of my larger Birds in Flight commissions.
For collectors, designers and commercial clients, the number, scale and arrangement of the birds can be developed specifically for a particular location — from a small wall-mounted grouping to a substantial suspended or freestanding installation.
Larger bespoke projects can be created for private residences, estates, hotels, corporate interiors, atriums and architectural spaces.
Available work
Individual stainless steel birds and small groups are periodically available through the Shop.
For larger compositions and site-specific installations, please see Birds in Flight or contact me to discuss a bespoke commission.
View available sculptures →
Explore Birds in Flight commissions →