Dominic Welch did not have a formal training in sculpture, but a speculative advert for an apprenticeship led him to sculptor Peter Randall-Page, with whom he worked for 10 years, learning the craft of carving while developing his own ideas.
For the nearly 20 years since then, he has worked independently, exhibiting extensively in the UK, Australia, USA and Japan.
Rooted in the natural world, his purity of form is inspired by the organic logic of seeds, pods, shells and fish. He is currently represented by Messums Fine Art, London.
Statement
The stones I love to work in – Kilkenny limestone, Ancaster Weatherbed, or marble from Carrara – have very little grain, so you can bring out the subtle, simple forms. For me, most important is the form. I’m quite haphazard about the way I find the form – completely by eye with little measuring. There’s no real knowing what’s right, but you get to a point where you think, OK, that works.
Website: www.dominicwelch.co.uk