Patrick has been a sculptor and wood carver for the past seven years, following an education in Conservation Biology, woodland management, and greenwood crafts. He enjoys creating useful everyday items in wood; carving also forms a large part of his artistic practice.
His current work is inspired by the beauty of natural forms; both flora and fauna, but at the moment especially animals. He is interested in the artificial division between ‘human’ and ‘animal’, and the impacts that people have upon the species with which we share space.
He is particularly drawn to those species which are endangered, persecuted, or disparaged. He finds it interesting how people view these creatures, and the frequent disconnection between appreciation of their forms and indifference to their real lives. He is often struck by the uplifting power of being amongst nature, but simultaneously aware of its transience.
Patrick usually works in wood, often using these carvings as masters for casting. Working with an organic substance imbues the work with a connection to its subjects: the fibres of the wood echoing the pelt and muscle of the beast. Much of his relationship with the work is underpinned by his childhood in the countryside and his subsequent degree in Conservation Biology. Themes of responsibility and connection are important to him.