James Sutton Sculpture on BBC One
In 2020 I was invited to take part in BBC One’s Home Is Where The Art Is, appearing in Series 2 alongside artists working across different disciplines.
The programme followed artists as they responded to a real client commission, developing an original work of art around the interests, home and story of the people it was being created for. My episode centred on a couple looking for an artwork to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
For me, the programme provided an opportunity to demonstrate an approach that remains central to my commissioned work today: understanding what matters to a client and translating that into an individual piece of sculpture rather than simply offering an existing design.
From television commission to an evolving collection
The programme introduced my handmade stainless-steel fish sculptures to a much wider audience.
Each fish is individually cut, formed and finished by hand, giving subtle differences in shape, texture and pattern. They can be displayed individually or combined into flowing shoals, where a collection of separate forms creates a larger sense of movement.
Following the BBC broadcast, interest in the fish resulted in hundreds of individual commissions, helping the collection develop into a continuing strand of my studio practice.
Today, smaller fish sculptures and shoals are periodically available through my online shop, while larger compositions can be developed as bespoke commissions for private collectors, gardens, interiors, businesses and architectural spaces.
Personal sculpture commissions
One of the most rewarding aspects of commissioned sculpture is the opportunity to create something that has a particular significance to its owner.
A commission might celebrate an anniversary, marriage, family connection, important place, memory or shared interest. The starting point can be an existing theme within my work or an entirely new idea developed specifically for the client.
Depending on the project, I can explore different concepts through drawings, maquettes and material samples before developing the final sculpture.
This process has led to work ranging from smaller personal pieces to substantial sculptures for private gardens, estates and collections.
Stainless steel fish sculptures
My fish sculptures continue to be created in a variety of formats, including:
individual fish · small freestanding shoals · wall-mounted compositions · circular shoals · large-scale outdoor installations · bespoke architectural commissions
Scale, number of fish, surface pattern, arrangement and display can all be adapted to suit a particular location.
For larger projects, the same individually handmade forms can be brought together to create installations such as Collective Motion and the monumental Shoal commission.
Smaller works are occasionally available through the Shop, or contact me to discuss a bespoke sculpture or shoal.
Featured on BBC One
Home Is Where The Art Is was broadcast on BBC One in 2020. I appeared in Series 2, Episode 8.