In Conversation with Carol Peace

Carol Peace – Figurative Sculptor

The most memorable gardens are those that engage more than just the senses. Alongside planting, materials and craftsmanship, carefully chosen works of art have the power to create moments of pause, draw the eye through the landscape and give a garden its own distinct personality.

For one of our recent projects, Crafted to Perfection, we had the pleasure of collaborating with renowned sculptor Carol Peace, whose bronze sculpture Tightrope now sits within the garden as though it has always belonged there.

We sat down with Carol to discuss her journey as an artist, the inspiration behind Tightrope, and why she believes sculpture should be considered an integral part of the garden rather than simply an ornament. From practical advice on positioning artwork outdoors to reflections on creating pieces that offer hope and connection, her thoughtful perspective offers inspiration for anyone looking to enrich their own outdoor space.

What was your first ‘big break’ in establishing your studio and sculptures?

I didn’t have a big break, just a multitude of tiny fractures!

I left art college with no self-esteem so never approached a ‘big’ gallery or anything but just started from scratch on my own … at a car booth fair! I quickly realised I was in the wrong place so migrated up to craft fairs, endless journeys in my little van, sleeping in the back, earning very little money. But I carried on.

Eventually the shows got better, I did House and Garden Fair and Country Living Fair for a few years. All the time taking peoples addresses and selling small sculptures. After many years, I had enough to hire a gallery in Cork Street, London. Which was ‘the place to be’ in those days. People came to the show not knowing it was a hiring gallery, from that I got a gallery in Athens and Zurich.

How much time do you spend in your London studio?

I used to go back and forth a lot more, trying to spend half my time in my chapel studio in Wales and half the time in London but I am in London a lot more now. I seem to have made peace with the concrete!

Lets talk about the sculpture for this project, what was the inspiration?

I think it’s fair to say I had a bit of an epiphany making Tightrope. Originally it was life size, while I worked on it I realised what I fundamentally wanted to do with my work was to make people happy. I wanted to see how amazing they were. I wanted to give people courage.

Tight Rope

What do you see? Can I show you?

Do I have the skill to show

you what you have?

Can you see leaves, flipped and flying

and a sea and a forest? Do you see

a bright journey of a moss banked

beck, running to see a river

and meeting, one day, an ocean.

Can you see a mountain in the clay

as rock face slate.

Do you see a bond of sculptress

and sculpture, motions of making

and seeing. Can you see how hard it is

to live, sometimes, to be in it, swimming.

I don’t understand what hope means

it’s not tangible.

But can I give you Spring.

Carol Peace.  Written while making the sculpture Tightrope February 2024

What are some of your favourite and most memorable commissions?

I very rarely actually work to commission. I prefer to make work and then people connect with what has come from my heart and they see themselves, they don’t see my story of its making they see theirs. That’s when it works.

I always remember a Justin Townes Earle gig at St Bonaventure’s, and someone shouted a song request from the audience, he just looked at them and said, ‘don’t tell me what to do’, and it made me really laugh.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to add a sculpture into their garden?

Sculptures are good value. They are always the last to leave the party and will hang with you and the garden all winter giving interest when all the flowers have run for cover!

The best thing to do is aim for a spot that you can see all the way round the work. Then you get the most out of it. Often the backs or sides of sculptures can be the best. This might mean bringing it right up to the border in front of the kitchen window or on a path that you walk down always. It doesn’t have to be the most prominent feature, sometimes I just think of them as shrub. Same with work for inside, anywhere you would put a vase of flowers you could put a sculpture.

I had a meeting once at someone’s kitchen table and walking along was a Giacometti walking man , so cool.

I like to see small sculptures that would go on a solid oak plinth for example to be in a border. Then the plants soften the plinth, and the sculpture becomes part of the planting.

Lifesize pieces can look good on a lawn, but maybe to one side. Often the sculpture can send your sight line to something, show you the view as it were. I do sometimes encourage people to face the sculpture out like that, it can expand the garden.

Any upcoming exhibitions that we should know about?

My sculpture garden at the Dorchester’s country house hotel, Coworth Park, is open all year round. On display are many large and small outdoor sculptures in the beautiful, landscaped gardens. Open to non-guests for lunch, tea and Michelin starred restaurant dining.

You can view and listen to the walking tour app at any time here
https://carolpeace.com/coworth/

Or watch a film of the new pieces here
https://carolpeace.com/film-sculpture-garden/