Katherine Anstead

I find my forms within the natural environment. By refining and interpreting the organic and material world around me, I both expand my understanding and develop an impression that I can communicate outwardly through the physical nature within my working processes. The form of the bird is frequently the prime inspiration for my work. Through this I aim to unite ethical, environmental and aesthetic features into the forms I produce. I am always curious as to the potential of the topography of the differing environments where my work may be placed, so as to observe their interactions with the surroundings. Finding their place in the landscape is not always apparent so I experiment with both content and context to find where these sculptures fit. The focus of my most recent project was to bring the context back into the pieces themselves. Through my recent MA journey at Arts University Plymouth, this culminated in a gallery-based work where I created 70 terracotta bird forms, which together became an ensemble piece, titled The Red List 70/70. This is a direct reference to the current list of critically endangered bird species in the United Kingdom. I am now moving this project forward into more species-specific works, interpreting use of material whether in wood, stone, clay, concrete, textile, felt or plaster. Responding individually to each sculpture I create, so allowing the process of discovery in making to inform the final works.