Garden Fountain Project
In December 2023, I completed the first module of my Ceramics diploma at West Dean College.
Our brief for the following term was to make a piece of sculpture responding to a garden environment.
I decided to make a three-tier working fountain for my own garden - an ambitious project, documented on Instagram. The highlights are shared below.
The garden jewels that bob about in the fountain have become some of my favourite pieces to make. Each is a small, tactileform, designed to sit comfortably in the hand and inspired by fleeting encounters with the natural world:
sunlight glinting off conker shells,
lichen clinging to bark,
frost edging leaves,
cobwebs draped over hydrangeas,
golden leaves cascading through bushes.
Sculpting a Garden Fountain
December:
Exploring textures and developing ideas, with a few early trials. Playing with surface finishes and forms that echoed the wildness of the garden.
January:
My larger water feature bowls made it into the kiln. I held my breath through the night, hoping for no cracks - some of the bark-like textures were deeply carved and vulnerable in places.
I also began refining the garden jewels, to bob about in the fountain, including a favourite: one loosely inspired by cobwebs stretched across hydrangeas in a Norfolk garden.
Early February:
First firing complete - all pieces safe, no cracks! Time to glaze...
Mid February:
Adding glaze to the garden jewels, then adding on gold and silver lustre hightlights, before refiring.
Which one do you like best?
Success! Everything survived the second firing. Next, assembly: installing the pump and testing the water flow. It’s trickling through - not quite a cascade yet - but in theory, it's working!
Late February:
After a whirlwind day of glazing, the last batch of items is in the kiln. This mammoth experiment is nearly complete, and I’ve learned so much along the way.
March:
Final touches done! After a quick grouting lesson, all the parts were joined together using coloured grout and sealed with silicone. With the pump installed and the jewels in place, the fountain is ready to take pride of place in the garden beside the studio.
It’s finished — and it works!
