Jo Naden
Landscape and our relationship to it, both individually and through our collective histories, underpins much of Jo Naden’s work. Ecology, the forces and phenomena of the earth, its minerals, plants and animals, myths, legends, time and seasons are inspiration. Drawing is often part of the exploratory process, prior to being distilled into a sculpture that is usually more abstract than representational. Jo employs the malleable qualities of clay, wax or plaster to make a form. The forms are then cast into metal, bringing dramatic solidity. The choice of bronze recalls the artefacts of ritual and history, while the polished surface of stainless steel reflects the subjective experience, the form being visible only by virtue of its surroundings. Jo often works to commission for public or private clients, for interior or exterior spaces and has exhibited her work in galleries throughout the UK.