In this episode, Lucy Branch speaks with sculptor Tim Shaw about his journey from troublesome teenager to one of Britain's most compelling contemporary sculptors working in bronze and public art.
Tim shares the pivotal moment that enabled him to pursue sculpture full-time, and how he's built an autonomous creative life, working primarily on bodies of work he wants to make rather than chasing commissions.
We discuss his award-winning sculpture "Man on Fire" at the Imperial War Museum North, why he finds it easier to express emotion through bronze than words, and why he's never quite satisfied with his work - even when it wins major awards.
Topics covered:
Find Tim Shaw:
This podcast is created by Antique Bronze
Please support the show by rating and reviewing the podcastor with buymeacoffee.com/lucybranch
In today's episode, host Lucy Branch, introduces Carly Wurzel Backer PhD and, Chief Curator of the Heckscher Museum of Art, who shares insights on Emma Stebbins, a pioneering 19th-century sculptor known for her Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.
The discussion covers Stebbins' life, her groundbreaking works, and the process of organising an exhibition of her sculptures. 00:00 Introduction to Sculpture Vulture00:35 Personal Update by Lucy Branch and Michael Faraday Monument03:05 Reflections and Future Goals07:45 Introducing Carly Wezel Backer and Emma Stebbins08:54 Emma Stebbins' Journey and Achievements14:45 Challenges and Triumphs in Emma Stebbins' Career24:22 Exhibition Preparation and Discoveries28:12 Emma Stebbins' Artistic Process and Legacy36:22 Conclusion and Exhibition DetailsExhibition Details : Emma Stebbins - Carving Out History
Where: The Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Avenue, Huntington, New York
When: September 28, 2025 - March 15, 2026
Website: heckscher.org
Features 14 sculptures plus archival materials, including works not publicly displayed in over a century. A 256-page e
The exhibition travels to Chicago, Cincinnati, Charlottesville, and possibly other venues.
Guest: Karli Wurzelbacher, PhD
Chief Curator at the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington, New York. After five years of research, she's curated "Emma Stebbins: Carving Out History" - the first museum exhibition dedicated to this pioneering 19th century American sculptor.
Host: Lucy Branch MA ACR - conservator and art historian specialising in bronze post-19th sculpture and architectural features. Contact: Lucy@antiquebronze.co.uk
This podcast is brought to you by Antique Bronze
In this episode, sculptor and writer, Aidan Harte joins Lucy Branch to discuss his journey from animation to classical sculpture training in Florence, and the extraordinary controversy surrounding his first public sculpture - a horse-headed figure from Irish folklore called a Púca.
What We Discuss:
Find Aiden Harte:
Key Takeaway:Public art requires courage - both from artists willing to create bold work and from commissioners brave enough to defend their initial vision when controversy strikes.
If you're enjoying Sculpture Vulture, please share it with fellow sculpture enthusiasts and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This podcast was brought to you by Antique Bronze
Today on the show, Lucy Branch, speaks to Juliet Rix an award-winning writer, editor, and broadcaster about the female figures commemorated in London's public sculpture.
Key Discussion Points:
Juliette's Upcoming Events:
Connect with Juliette:
Also in this episode: Martin Jennings interview (Season 1) - Martin has recently won the major commission for the Queen Elizabeth II sculpture in St. James's ParkHost's Details : Lucy Branch MA ACR Email: lucy@antiquebronze.co.ukInstagram/Threads: @lucybranchsculpturevulture
Today on the show, Lucy Branch speaks to sculptor Tom Murphy whose public sculptures celebrate the rich and wonderful history of Liverpool's people.
We discuss his artistic journey and service to those who commission his works.
Join us and Be Inspired By Sculpture
You can see photos of Tom's work and read the transcript at www.sculpturesulture.co.uk
Contact Lucy Branch - lucy@antiquebronze.co.uk
This podcast is created by AntiqueBronze
In this end of season episode, host Lucy Branch, interviews British artist Neale Andrew. Neale shares his journey into sculpture, his epiphany moment and his approach to defining himself as a sculptor.
Lucy also discusses current conservation projects and the recent news in the sculpture world, including the repatriation of the largest ever collection of Benin bronzes. Renowned sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro, is remembered.
00:00 Introduction to Sculpture Vulture
00:35 Challenges in Conservation Work
01:37 Upcoming Projects and Public Interactions
02:45 Significant Sculpture News
04:19 Tribute to Arnaldo Pomodoro
06:52 Interview with British Artist Neale Andrews
25:45 The Compromised Sculpture Idea
26:38 First Public Piece and Artistic Integrity
28:22 Sculpture of Richard Hadley and Jeff Boycott
30:16 DH Lawrence Relief Sculpture
31:57 Abstract Elements in Figurative Sculpture
35:11 Influences and Inspirations
38:43 Public vs. Private Sculpture Work
44:13 Wrapping Up the Season
Please support the show by buying either:
Bronze Behaving Badly: Principles ofBronze Conservation
or
Wax On Wax Off: How To Care For BronzeSculpture
or by buying me a coffee - Buy Me A Coffee.Com buymeacoffee.com/lucybranchLucy Branch is also a fiction author, her fiction always features sculpture.
This podcast is created by Antique Bronze
Ceri Thomas—artist, curator, and son of renowned Welsh sculptor Robert Thomas—joins Lucy Branch to reflect on growing up in a house full of creativity, clay, and community spirit. We talk about his father’s mission to celebrate Welsh life through public sculpture, plans for a centenary retrospective, and the importance of representing working-class figures and women in bronze. Ceri also shares insights from his own creative path and his work on his interest in projects like Monumental Welsh Women and the upcoming Rhodri Morgan statue.
🎨 See Ceri’s paintings: www.cerithomasart.com
See the blogpost with images: www.sculpturevulture.co.uk
Other episodes on Sculpture Vulture about Robert Thomas' Sculpture - Public Sculpture: Coalville To Indianapolis
Please support the show by buying Bronze Behaving Badly or Wax On Wax Off by Lucy Branch - at Amazon UK and can be ordered wherever books are soldThis podcast is created by
Antique Bronze- Conservation and Restoration of Sculpture and Architectural Features.
Today on the show, Lucy Branch interviews Dr. Neil Armstrong, who has created one of Cornwall's most distinctive sculpture parks. What began as a simple need for "proper playtime" evolved into Treemenheere: a sculpture park built upon a philosophy.
This is the story of a man who turned his back on funding bodies and committees to create something purely according to his own vision. As Neil puts it, everything arrives "on the good ship serendipity," and that openness to possibility has created one of Britain's most thoughtful contemporary art spaces.
Find out more: Treemenheere
Key Discussion Points
Please support the show by buying Wax On Wax Off by Lucy Branch - at Amazon UK and can be ordered wherever books are sold
This podcast is created by Antique Bronze
In this episode, Lucy Branch speaks to sculptor and Royal Academician, Nigel Hall, who discusses his lifelong passion for sculpture.
Nigel shares insights into his academic journey and experiences in America that solidified his commitment to sculpture. He delves into his prolific creative process and how he has sustained a successful artistic career over the course of several decades.
Follow Nigel’s journey and discover more about his work on his website and Instagram.
Please support the show by buying Bronze Behaving Badly: Principles of Bronze Conservation
or
Wax On Wax Off: How To Care For BronzeSculpture
This podcast is created by Antique Bronze - conservators of sculpture and architectural features.
Today's episode is an informal yet informative glimpse into host, Lucy Branch's, world behind the bronze as Lucy shares her excitement about completing her latest novel, a 17th-century historical romance.
Lucy discusses the spontaneity of creative projects and answers listener questions about her work, podcast, and life.
There is also bonus material at the end of the episode if listeners would like to hear the first chapter of her previous book, 'Restoration Murder.'
00:00 Introduction to Sculpture Vulture
00:37 Celebrating a New Novel
03:38 Q&A Session Begins
04:24 Eric Gill Sculpture Controversy
07:01 Smart Water for Sculpture Protection
09:39 Journey into Novel Writing
15:01 Public Sculpture Behaviour
20:03 Influential Books and Time Management
Younger Next Year - Chris Crowley and Harry Lodge
24:21 Podcasting Journey and Future Plans
29:01 Sample Reading from 'Restoration Murder'
In this episode, host Lucy Branch, introduces Steven C. Barber, an American filmmaker and producer turned fundraiser for monuments in the US.
Barber has raised millions of dollars particularly championing the creation of monuments to astronauts. He shares anecdotes about his journey from documentary filmmaking to monument creator, his unique perspective on memorializing achievements, and his strategies for securing substantial donations from high-profile figures and organizations.
Barber's stories emphasize the importance of vision, persistence, and the ability to connect disparate worlds in order to achieve monumental goals.
Key Discussion Points
00:50 Vandalism and Restoration Stories
Links Mentioned in this section
Robin Hood and Maid Marrion
Radio Stoke and Leek War Memorial
05:50 Steve Barber's Journey into Filmmaking
10:17 Challenges and Successes in Monument Creation
21:28 Emotional Studio Visit21:56 Meeting the Sculptors
22:25 Building Apollo 11 Monument
24:15 Fundraising for Monuments
26:18 Challenges in Monument Creation
28:12 The Art of Cold Calling
33:38 The President's Monument
35:25 Reflections on Fundraising
42:02 Lucy's Roundup and Future Plans
Connect with Steve C. Barber
Please support the show by joining me on Substack - it's free!
or you can buy one of my non-fiction books if you'd like help or advice with caring for bronze
Bronze Behaving Badly: Principles of Bronze Conservation
or
Wax On Wax Off: How To Care For Bronze Sculpture
This podcast is created by Antique Bronze
Scottish sculptor Kenny Hunter joins Lucy Branch to discuss the power of public monuments in our fast-paced world.
From his first transformative touch of clay to his acclaimed public works, Kenny reveals why he sees sculptures as "phantoms looking down on the city" and shares insights on the theatrical quality of public art, where static figures silently observe as life unfolds around them.
This thoughtful conversation explores sculpture as the ultimate "slow art" – work that rewards patient creation and contemplation in an age of instant consumption, inviting listeners to reconsider the quiet monuments we often pass by without notice.
Please support the show by buying one of my books. This episode featured, Restoration Murder
Join us and BE INSPIRED BY SCULPTURE. You canfind images to accompany the episode and a transcription of the interview at Sculpture Vulture Blog
This podcast was brought to you by Antique Bronze specialists in sculpture conservation
Today on the show, Lucy Branch interviews Dr. Susan Owens, author, independent scholar and former curator of paintings at the V&A about her recent article in Country Life magazine titled "Time Stands Still" which takes readers on a tour of Britain through 50 monuments. They discuss the significance of some of the UK's public monuments, their cultural impact, and highlight several remarkable examples.
Key Discussion Points
Dr. Owens' background at the V&A Museum and her transition from 2D to 3D artworks
The challenge of selecting just 50 monuments from Britain's rich landscape of commemorative works
How monuments function as "the collective memory of our country"
The cultural significance of controversial monuments like the Edward Colston statue and Mark Quinn's guerrilla installation of Jen Reid
The lack of proper curation for public monuments and spaces
The ongoing debate about memorializing tragedies like Grenfell
Monuments Highlighted
Penelope Boothby memorial (1791) - A moving marble sculpture by Thomas Banks of a five-year-old girl in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, commissioned by her grieving father
Boudicca monument at Westminster Bridge - Thomas Thornicroft's bronze masterpiece depicting the Celtic queen in triumph, drawing parallels to Queen Victoria
Sir Walter Scott Monument in Edinburgh - A Gothic structure housing not just Scott's statue but figures from his novels, illustrating his influence on historical fiction
Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Park - Charles Sargeant Jagger's WWI memorial featuring realistic depictions of soldiers and their equipment, including the controversial fallen soldier figure
About Dr Susan Owens
Author of "Imagining England's Past: Inspiration, Imagination, Obsession" (Thames Hudson, 2023)
Recently published "The Story of Drawing: An Alternative History of Art" (Yale University Press, October 2024)
Instagram: @Susan_x_Owens
Insights
The emotional power of monuments to move us across centuries
Britain's tradition of commemorating beloved animals alongside historical figures
How monuments can become meeting places with personal significance
The human cost of creating monuments, such as the silicosis that killed many workers on the Scott Monument
Please support the show by buying one of my non-fiction books,
Bronze Behaving Badly: Principles of Bronze Conservation
or
Wax On Wax Off: How To Care For Bronze Sculpture
This podcast is created by Antique Bronze
In today's episode, Lucy Branch, speaks with sculptor John Belardo about the remarkable Piccirilli brothers, six Italian immigrant sculptors who revolutionized American monumental sculpture in the early 20th century. John shares his 25-year journey researching these master craftsmen who created some of America's most iconic monuments while remaining largely unknown to the public.
About Our Guest
John Belardo is a New York-based sculptor and educator who teaches at the New York Academy of Art, Art Students League of New York, and Lehman College. With a studio practice in the Hudson Valley, John specializes in narrative sculpture featuring multiple figures that tell stories.
Website: johnbelardo.com
Episode Highlights:
You can find images to accompany the episode and a transcription of the interview at SculptureVulture Blog
Please support the show by purchasing, Bronze Behaving Badly, about the foundations of preserving sculptureand architectural features. Or, one of several novels about sculpture such as, A Rarer Gift Than Gold, by Lucy Branch.
This episode was brought to you by Antique Bronze, specialising in the conservation and restoration of public sculpture and architectural features
The Art of War with Sabin Howard
In this episode, we sit down with sculptor Sabin Howard, the artist behind America's World War I Memorial in Washington D.C. From an unexpected creative awakening in a Philadelphia woodworking shop to creating one of the most significant public artworks of our time, Howard shares his extraordinary journey and philosophical approach to classical sculpture in the modern world.
Episode Highlights
- How an impulsive decision to quit his woodworking job led Sabin to art school and eventually to becoming one of today's leading classical sculptors
- The massive undertaking of creating the WWI Memorial: 25 iterations, 12,000 reference photos, and a 18m bronze relief
- Working with combat veterans as models and how it transformed his understanding of service and art
- His experience navigating government bureaucracy while maintaining artistic vision
- Why he believes public art should unify and elevate consciousness rather than alienate
- The upcoming documentary "Heroic" chronicling the creation of the memorial (releasing June 2025)
Memorable Quotes
"We need to kick them out of the temple and take back art for we the people and make it go in a direction that's about elevating us and about higher consciousness."
About Sabin Howard
Sabin Howard is a classical sculptor whose work combines Renaissance traditions with contemporary emotional depth. As the sculptor of America's World War I Memorial, he has created one of the largest bronze relief sculptures in history, telling the story of a soldier's journey through 38 figures across 116 feet.
Connect with Sabin Howard
- Website:www.sabinhoward.com
- Instagram: @sabinhowardsculptures
- X/Twitter: @sabinhoward
Coming Soon
Look out for the documentary "Heroic: Sabin Howard Sculpting the National World War I Memorial" releasing in June 2025.
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Other mentions in the show:Dolphin Square: The Most Notorious Address in the UK
This episode is brought to you byAntique Bronze: THE Business in Bronze Conservation
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and review the podcast. It helps other sculpture enthusiasts find our show!
Today on the show, Lucy Branch talks to one of Scotland's most important figurative public sculptors, Alan Beattie Herriot.
In this episode, we explore his journey from playing in bands to fund his art, to creating iconic works like the Robert the Bruce at Marischal College and The Elizabeth Sword for the Scottish Crown.
Together, we explore how his monuments have become beloved landmarks in their communities, creating a must-listen episode for anyone interested in public art, Scottish culture, and the creative spirit. Please support the show by purchasing Bronze Behaving Badly or Wax on Wax Off about the foundations of preserving sculpture and architectural features. Or, one of several novels such as Restoration Murder by Lucy Branch.
This podcast was brought to you by Antique Bronze specialists in sculpture conservation.
Today on this solo-show, Lucy Branch, dives into Statumania - a time that saw Britain experience an unprecedented surge in public monument creation. This phenomenon reflected the era's civic pride, wealth, and desire to commemorate historical figures. Join us to be inspired by Sculpture.
The fantastic books used to support this episode were:
London Immortals by John Blackwood
Public Sculpture of Westminster by Philip Ward Jackson
The Colour of Sculpture 1840-1910
Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome Back, Sculpture Vultures! 00:56 Reflecting on Goals and Podcasting 02:41 Personal Goals and Fiction Writing 03:55 Career Reflections and New Technologies 07:58 Exploring Public Sculpture and Statumania 23:29 The Influence of Neoclassicism 35:29 Notable Statues and Their Stories 43:02 Conclusion and Support the Show Please support the show by buying, Wax On Wax Off: How To Care For Bronze Sculpture by Lucy Branch or, Bronze Behaving Badly, about the foundations of preserving sculpture and architectural features.
This podcast was brought to you by Antique Bronze specialists in sculpture conservation
A Happy New Year Episode for Sculpture Vultures everywhere.
Host, Lucy Branch, interviews Brett Colbert, co-founder of the The Pneuma Art Foundation based in Florence.
Brett shares his unique journey from medical school and seminary to founding Pneuma with his wife Olivia. He describes how Pneuma supports artists and sculptors in their professional development, providing opportunities for growth and fostering a community.
The interview explores Pneuma's upcoming projects, including an exhibit inspired by Ghiberti's Bronze Baptistry doors.
If you'd like to support the show, please consider purchasing, Bronze Behaving Badly, or Wax On Wax Off, How To Care For Bronze Sculpture . Or, one of several thriller/mystery novels about sculpture such as, Restoration Murder by Lucy Branch.
This podcast was brought to you by Antique Bronze
In this special Christmas episode, Lucy Branch is joined by professional sculptor, Ben Broadbent, who runs Apex Art Services and has over 20 years experience in casting and sculpting.
They discuss their shared passion for sculpture, the challenges and rewards of being a sculptor, and how their different art forms offer solace and inspiration.
The episode also delves into their personal experiences with specific sculptures that have had a profound impact on them such as, Ian Rank Broadley's Armed Forces Memorial, Paul Day's, Kiss and others.
If you'd like to support the show, please consider purchasing, Bronze Behaving Badly, or Wax On Wax Off, How To Care For Bronze Sculpture . Or, one of several thriller/mystery novels about sculpture such as, Restoration Murder by Lucy Branch.
This podcast was brought to you by Antique Bronze
In this episode, Lucy Branch delves into the artistic journey of Jonathan Hateley, a talented sculptor whose passion for art began early in his life.
Hear about his mentors, his challenges, and the pivotal moments that shaped his artistic career. Jonathan also discusses his unique artistic style, the influence of nature on his work, and the development of his captivating sculptures.
Gain insight into the life of an artist balancing creativity with the business aspects of art. 00:00 Introduction to Sculpture Vulture
00:35 Upcoming Trip to Dublin
03:26 Sculpture News and Media
05:03 Interview with Jonathan Hately
06:04 Jonathan Hately's Artistic Journey
10:28 Challenges and Inspirations
22:22 The Role of Mentorship
24:16 Jonathan's Unique Sculptural Style
33:09 Balancing Art and Business
40:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
45:30 Supporting the Show Please support the show by buying one of my fiction or non-fiction books or you can Buy Me A Coffee at buymeacoffee.com/lucybranch