The following images show student works from Nick’s UK-based animal sculpture workshop March 2024 Animal observation and behaviour are at the heart of my work as an animal sculptor. It’s important to me that my work is physically and anatomically accurate. But it’s equally important to capture the behavioural characteristics of my subjects. This isn’t just limited to the animal in general, although we can certainly learn a lot from the general traits of a particular species. But each individual animal also has its own character and personality. The way it interacts with its environment, and ..read more

Conservation South Luangwa works with community and conservation partners to protect the wildlife and habitats of the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. Their aim is to secure the long-term survival of wildlife and habitats. As a regular visitor to the park, it’s an aspiration I wholeheartedly support. As an animal sculptor, I’m in a fantastic position to use my time sculpting to generate funds to help conserve the animals I love. It’s one of the ways I can give back to the natural world that has blessed me with so many wonderful opportunities and experiences. In December 2023 I was co-l ..read more

Dog sculpture commissions are among the most challenging projects I undertake. The bond between dog and owner is a special thing. Dogs share our lives. They are part of the family. And they are always there for us. They fill our days with joy, laughter and companionship. They take us into the outdoors and, year after year, they share in our adventures. This bond of family and friendship is sadly what makes it so difficult to say goodbye to a beloved family dog when the fateful day finally comes. Last summer I was contacted about one such dog by a close friend of her owner. Meggie the Doberman ..read more

We’ve been running animal sculpture workshops near my studio in Devon for some time now. They have always attracted a wide range of abilities, from complete novices to experienced amateurs. Most come on their own, some come with a friend or family member. But we are united by our love of animals and our art, whether it be a casual interest or a life-long passion. I never in my wildest of dreams thought I could actually do something like this. There’s something special about being fully immersed in the creative process for an extended period. The progress students can make over the course o ..read more

It’s 25 years now since I was first contacted by the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. They were looking for someone to make a series of specially commissioned trophies for the winners of this prestigious international photography competition. Those very first trophies were presented by none other than Sir David Attenborough. Every year I sculpt the animals that appears in the winning photographs. I do this for both the Young and Overall winners. I never know what the animal will be. It’s always a thrill to open the image files for the first time to discover what my challenge wil ..read more

I have been a finalist in the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) Wildlife Artist of the Year competition since 2009. Almost from the start. I had to decline the invitation to enter for the first year because my twins were young and taking up much of my time. I always look forward to contributing. Half the proceeds of each sale go towards the Foundation’s wildlife conservation work. It’s an opportunity for me as a wildlife artist to give something back to the animals I cherish. Winning Wildlife Artist of the Year in 2015 with my sculpture Sleepyheads, a group of baby warthogs, was the h ..read more

Black rhinos are magnificent and highly sculptural subjects. I never tire of observing and modelling them. They are amongst my favourite wild animals. So I thought I would share the back story of my latest black rhino sculpture, depicting a young calf at rest. Black rhinos are feisty little creatures. I know this from first hand experience. As a student, I worked a summer placement as a rhino keeper at Chester Zoo. It was one of my earliest opportunities to interact with wild animals at close quarters, even touch them. I can still recall the surprising softness of the black rhino’s prehensile ..read more

Sculpture and shipping are not natural bedfellows. Clients are naturally concerned about shipping, particularly when ordering ceramic pieces internationally. They want their animal sculptures to be safe. But they also care about environmentally friendly shipping. Great care must be taken with packing my animal sculptures in order for them to survive the ordeal of shipping. Over the years, I’ve developed various techniques to ensure my animal sculptures are as secure as possible in transit. As you would expect, I use copious quantities of packing materials. Many pieces are double-boxed. In r ..read more

This year I was again approached by Channel 4’s Great Pottery Throwdown. As previously, I was asked to provide a couple of sculptures featuring an endangered species for Endangered Animal Sculpture in Week 6. At the beginning of each programme the presenters showcase the works of professional sculptors. This is to give the audience an idea of what can be achieved in ceramic and highlight detail that can really bring an animal sculpture to life. Last year they featured my resting baby rhino and a reclining wild dog. This year they featured a close-up of my wild dog pup’s face. Due to broadcas ..read more

Regular readers of my blog will know that last year I joined Wildlife Worldwide’s Festival of Wildlife in Spitsbergen. During the trip I ran workshops for the passengers. For my demonstration I made a polar bear sculpture, which was auctioned to raise funds for sea bird monitoring and planting native trees here in Devon. The client who won the polar bear sculpture turned out to be a serious wildlife enthusiast. He had recently visited Greenland and had been struck by sightings of the extraordinary musk ox. He decided it would make a great subject for a sculpture. We agreed the details and, fu ..read more