British sculptor — East Sussex

Liam Ball was born in Coventry in 1964 and lives and works in East Sussex. He has been making figurative sculpture for more than 30 years, developing a distinctive approach that combines reclaimed wood, driftwood, copper, pewter, brass, paint, gold leaf and found objects. His sculptures are often recognisable as people, animals or creatures, but they are rarely literal representations. Liam is interested in the space between observation and imagination—the point where a familiar form can become something unexpected.

The making of the sculpture

The starting point is often the material. A piece of reclaimed timber may already contain the suggestion of a body, a face or an animal. Driftwood brings the marks of the sea and weather. Found objects carry traces of their previous lives. Rather than beginning with a completely fixed idea and forcing the material to conform to it, Liam allows the material to influence the sculpture as it develops. Wood can be carved, cut, joined and shaped. Copper, pewter and brass are added to emphasise forms, create contrast or introduce details that would be difficult to achieve in wood alone. This combination of materials has become an important part of the visual language of the work.

Stories and ideas

Storytelling is central to Liam’s sculpture. Some works draw on mythology and stories that have survived for centuries. Others respond to contemporary life, relationships, nature or simple observations of the world. Ancient ideas can therefore appear alongside modern materials and ways of thinking. A sculpture might refer to Icarus, Neptune, the Kraken or the Tree of Knowledge, while another might begin with something as familiar as a family, a friendship, a journey or an encounter between a person and an animal. The stories are deliberately open enough for the viewer to bring their own experience to them.

An evolving body of work

Over the years Liam has exhibited extensively in Britain and abroad, including exhibitions in London, Edinburgh, Portugal and elsewhere. His work has been shown at venues including the Mall Galleries in London, Cotswold Sculpture Park, Affordable Art Fair and exhibitions organised by British art societies. His sculptures are held in private collections in the UK, Europe and North America.