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Large Garden Sculptures - Uncast

Creating these large garden sculptures has been a real delight, because I love working big - lifesize is great but larger is even better.

I'd love to make some really huge pieces, but space, time and finances restrict the number I can make.

Problems with big sculptures

The pleasures of working on a big sculpture are magnified, but then so are the problems. In some ways it's more satisfying because big, bold, generous forms can be manhandled and thwacked with implements!

It does take longer to make major changes or course, and needs more planning to make it work. And when a heavy lump of clay becomes unstable through balance or age it dictates its own terms.

More than once I've returned to the studio and found that a work in progress has plopped onto the floor during the night. Fortunately no one's been around to witness the collapse, since the large sculptures can weigh several hundredweight and it could be very dangerous if they fell. If a large clay figure does keel over it is mostly unrecoverable and simply has to be cut up and recycled.

Large garden sculptures have to be of a big enough size to look effective in an open space, unless a garden happens to have any smaller enclosed areas, akin to rooms, to contain the forms. Lawn sculptures need to be carefully placed to make sure they maintain their presence.

Available on order

None of these lifesize or almost-life size sculptures has yet been cast in bronze, but they are all available to order. If you're interested in owning a large bronze Pooley sculpture please get in touch and I can give you a quote for the cost of casting.

Large garden sculpture


As yet untitled, this ceramic sculpture of a sleeping figure lying on its side is the largest sculpture I have uncast at the moment at 130 x 50 x 45cm. This is a quiet and peaceful work with a similar character to The Voice.

The figure has a long plait which runs along the length of her back. My studio is not huge and it dominated the space while it was being made. I was relieved when it was finished and fired - although it did have to have a leg temporarily removed to get it into the kiln.

Garden sculpture by Vanessa Pooley


This still untitled sleeping figure is a slightly smaller than lifesize sculpture, at 102 x 40 x 45cm. Though the pose is peaceful, it has upward movements which make it lively. The inspiration for this large garden sculpture was taken from my smaller figure Minipuff.

It's a struggle to make a sleeping sculpture that's not too flat and here I think I've succeeded in creating a figure which sleeps but remains upright and almost perky. This positive sculpture would be easy to place outdoors and I would love to cast it into bronze.

A large garden sculpture is a lovely thing to own, so if you're tempted by one of these uncast pieces do get in touch.

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