A Monumental Public Art Commission on the Isle of Man
Bronze, copper and stainless steel
2023-2024
Current cost projection for similar commission £150k
Sacrifice is a striking public art installation commissioned by a distinguished business on the Isle of Man. The sculpture combines the resilience of stainless steel with the warmth of copper, featuring a life-sized bronze Christ figure suspended at its center. The work stands at an impressive height of approximately 3 meters, excluding the plinth, creating a powerful visual impact.
The creative process behind Sacrifice was a journey of meticulous craftsmanship and innovation. The central hoop, constructed from grade 316 stainless steel, was custom-rolled in my workshop, The Sculpture Barn, into large hoops reinforced with cross beams to ensure structural stability. Each hoop was carefully drilled by hand before being clad and riveted in sheet copper, adding texture and warmth to the piece whilst hiding the internal structure.
The Christ figure was sculpted in clay to allow for experimentation with the composition, capturing the depth of sacrifice, pain, and suffering. My aim was to evoke the emotional essence of this monumental figure, making it appear as though the sculpture is looking directly at the viewer from beneath. Once satisfied with the clay model, a mould was created using rubber and fiberglass, with the assistance of a skilled friend. The mould was then taken to Le Blanc Fine Art Bronze Foundry, where the figure was cast using the traditional lost wax technique.
After the pieces were cast and welded together, I returned to the foundry to apply the patina, ensuring the surface achieved the desired effect. This process allowed me to refine the final texture and finish and was great fun.
With all components complete, we ensured they all still fitted together and spent nearly a week packing the sculpture and preparing a custom crate for its journey to the Isle of Man.
Given the complexity of the installation, the client requested my team’s presence to assist with the assembly. With the support of the client’s site team, the installation was completed seamlessly. Due to the challenging site conditions and extreme weather, the sculpture can be securely anchored with removable cable supports to ensure its stability when the weather is at its worst.
The finished result is nothing short of spectacular. The client, who is building an impressive art collection, was thrilled with the outcome. Sacrifice has become a defining piece of their collection, and it was an incredible honor to bring this vision to life. I look forward to creating more life-sized bronze sculptures in the future.
Stainless and corten steel
2018
Current cost projection for similar commission £15K - £20K
Matthew 7:7
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Life size public art commission for a business site. This piece is part of the clients collection of artworks and installations inspired by bible verses. The site houses various business’s and a cafe, as well as inviting people to explore the beautiful grounds and its hidden treasures.
The sculpture stands around 8ft tall including the stone plinth. It has a stainless steel frame to give it strength and structure, with the final finish being created using sheet Corten steel and Stainless.
Stainless steel shoal
Created 2019 - 2020
Current cost projection for similar commission - £80k-£100k
Public art commission for a business on the Isle of Man. 8m long and almost 3m tall at its highest point. This shoal of stainless steel fish took almost a year to create. Each fish is unique, hand beaten into shape with patterns and detail created through grinding and welding.
Individual fish created in the same way can sometimes be purchased in my shop. Or feel free to get in touch if you would like to explore creating your own shoal.
Farmer sculpture for Kirton in Lindsey.
Life size in Corten steel and 5mm mild steel.
This stunning 9ft-tall hummingbird sculpture, commissioned by a private collector to mark a special wedding anniversary, is crafted from 316 stainless steel. Suspended from a flower by its beak, the hummingbird appears to float gracefully in space, embodying both beauty and the symbolism of love.
Looking to commission your own piece? Feel free to contact me for custom sculptures that bring your personal story to life.
Collection of stainless steel bird sculptures.
Collection of Stainless Steel Bird Sculptures
Elegant, resilient, and crafted with precision, this collection of stainless steel bird sculptures by James Sutton offers striking forms that suit both indoor and outdoor display. Each piece balances dynamic movement with refined minimalism, capturing avian grace in a modern, architectural aesthetic.
Materials and Finish
High-grade stainless steel, chosen for durability and corrosion resistance, ideal for exterior exposure and low-maintenance indoor display.
Finishes include brushed, mirror-polished, and hand-textured surfaces—each finish designed to interact with light differently and complement diverse settings.
Design and Scale
A range of sizes from delicate tabletop birds to larger-than-life garden installations.
Designs vary from abstract silhouettes emphasizing line and negative space to more detailed, anatomically inspired works.
Sculptures may be mounted on plinths, integrated into stone or timber bases, or supplied with ground anchors for lawn or bed installation.
Installation and Placement
Suitable for living rooms, conservatories, office atriums, terraces, courtyards, and public landscapes.
Indoor placement highlights reflective finishes and interplay with interior lighting; outdoor settings benefit from the material’s weathering resilience and sculptural presence within natural light.
Commission Options
Custom commissions welcome: bespoke sizes, poses, or finishes to suit private collectors, corporate spaces.
Site visits and consultations available to assess scale, siting, and anchoring requirements.
Global shipping and handling provided with secure packaging and installation guidance.
Care and Maintenance
Routine care: gentle washing with mild detergent and water; rinse and dry to maintain finish.
Suitable for, private collections and residential interiors, sculpture gardens and landscape features, corporate lobbies and hospitality environments.
Stainless Steel Butterfly sculptures by James Sutton Sculpture.
2300 butterflies created to raise money for Ashgate Hospice. Exhibited at Chatsworth House, raising roughly £100,000 for the charity.
ashgatehospice.org.uk/butterfly-appeal
Find out more about charity fundraising campaigns here.
Corten and Stainless sculpture created for Pembroke Secondary School as a reflection on covid and lock down. The boy is created from hundreds of Corten butterflies, and surrounded with stainless butterflies with text and imagery from the students about their experience.
Memorial tree for St Frances Special school to remember children and staff lost over the last 5 years. Designed so more personalised leaves can be added as needed in the future.
“The Lancaster and Vulcan are two iconic aircraft that played an important part in RAF Waddington’s proud history. I am extremely grateful to James Sutton for scuplting such a wonderful piece to celebrate the Station’s 100th Anniversary. Furthermore, the etchings of Lincoln Cathedral pay homage to our close links with the city of Lincoln, which continues to provide excellent support to the Station and its personnel. Positioned outside of Station Headquarters the sculpture will command the attention of all those that pass through the gates of RAF Waddington.”
Group Captain Al Marshall, Station Commander at RAF Waddington
In 2020 I ws fortunate to take part in BBC Ones ‘Home Is Where The Art Is’.
You can commission or buy your own fish from my shop or watch the show here on iplayer.
Small shoals of fish in stainless steel. Occasionally available from my shop or to commission singularly or in shoals.
Shoal of Stainless Steel Fish — Saxilby Canal
Installed along the Saxilby canal, this commissioned shoal of stainless steel fish celebrates community, movement, and place. Each fish is individually fabricated from stainless steel, its form and surface designed to catch light and reflect the changing moods of the water and sky. Together they create a dynamic, shimmering presence that shifts with the viewer’s perspective and the flow of the canal.
Community pattern collaboration
Patterns for the scales and surface textures were developed from drawings and designs contributed by pupils at Saxilby Primary School and residents at the local care home. These motifs—playful shapes, repetitive marks and heartfelt doodles—were translated into subtle surface reliefs and laser-etched patterns on the fins and flanks of the fish.
The result is a unique blend of youthful imagination and lived experience: each fish carries an element of the community’s hand, giving the installation a personal, local identity.
Materials and fabrication
Grade 316 stainless steel chosen for durability in a waterside environment and for its ability to hold fine detail.
Combination of hand-forming, press work, welding and precision laser cutting allowed preservation of the original pattern character while ensuring long-term weather resistance and low maintenance.
Fixed on posts set at varied heights to suggest natural schooling behavior and to invite moving sightlines for pedestrians and cyclists along the towpath.
Concept and experience
The shoal is conceived as both artwork and gentle landmark: it encourages people to pause, to look closely at familiar patterns reimagined in steel, and to recognize the canal as a shared community asset.
Reflections and negative space between the fish produce changing compositions throughout the day, offering repeated discovery for local residents and visitors alike.
Commission and community outcomes
Commissioned as part of a local place-making initiative, the project included workshops with school pupils and care-home residents during design development, creating meaningful engagement and ownership.
The installation contributes to civic pride, supports local cultural programming, and provides an accessible artwork that can be enjoyed at all times.
For enquiries about commissions, community-collaborative projects, or technical details of the fabrication and installation, please contact James Sutton Sculpture.
Then God said “let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”
Stainless steel commissions in progress.
Corten steel life size sheep sculptures for a private client by James Sutton Sculpture.
60 year wedding anniversary commission. Ring for each year married.
Corten steel
2018
Private commission
Manx Loaghtan Sheep
Stainless Steel frame and horns, clad in Cor-ten steel.
Lincolnshire Long Wool Sheep
Public art commission for Branston village near Lincoln.
Galvanised Steel
Ram Sculpture created out of 316 stainless for a private client. Inspired by their partners favourite football team. Stands around 70cm tall.
Butterfly sculpture created for DIY SOS Scunthorpe.
Stainless steel and copper.
Public Commission for Leighton Buzzard Council to create 6 decorative bridge panels, inspired the local history and community engagement workshops. 2013-14
Created in collaboration with Spitfire Forge
‘Swale Bridge’ Balustrade Commission for Leighton Buzzard Council. Inspired the local landscape and wildlife, informed by community workshops. Made up of 18 galvanised steel panels.
2013-14
Created in collaboration with Spitfire Forge
Public Art commission to create a series of beautiful & inspiring cast metal finials from aluminium. Working with over 100 community members, participants designed and made thier own fish in clay. These were then cast in aluminium at the studio and instaled along side James’ own creations on Haven Bank in Boston, Lincolnshire.
Commission for Broughton School. Design inspired by workshops with the students.
Stainless Steel, Ancaster Boulder
Stainless Steel and Copper.
Commission for Local Primary School.
Entrance sculpture for a local school, created out of 316 stainless steel featuring the schools values in the various languages spoken at the school.
‘Courage’
Commissioned as a memorial to a student at North Kesteven School in Lincoln.
Created in collaboration with Spitfire Forge
Private Commission for a retired Vulcan Pilot.
Stainless Steel
Public art Commission for Transported. Inspired by workshops with the community. Made out of galvanised Steel, Located outside the Geoff Moulder Leisure center in Boston uk.
Stainless Steel and gold leaf
Stainless steel on slate base.
Stallion Sculpture in 316 Stainless Steel.
SOLD
Commission for Local primary school.
Influenced by designs and models created by the students to represent their parents in the forces.
Commission for Tesco Lincoln, designed by local student (pictured)
Holton Le Clay Village Hall Sign
Stainless and galvanised steel
Pigmy goat sculptures for private collectors garden.
