Behind the Art
with Heather Jansch
Heather Jansch is a British sculptor based in Devon, who “breaks the mold” of traditional metal
sculpting by creating ephemeral and unforgettable sculptures of the equine form, utilizing the
shapes and textures of natural driftwood, which are then immortalized in bronze. Find out
what makes Heather tick, and how these unique sculptures are brought to life in this edition of
Behind the Art.
AW: Your work is very unique. Can you tell our readers a little bit about what you
do?
Heather: I am a sculptor best known for my life-size horses. Drawing horses was my childhood
passion, my days were spent following them in the fields surrounding our house and my nights
were spent compulsively studying and reading about the different breeds. I immersed myself
and learned as much as I could. My hero was Leonardo da Vinci. I kept ponies of my own until going to art school after which I moved to the coast and bred Welsh Cobs. I painted traditional equine portraits, and my accuracy commanded high prices from the outset. In search
of a more personal expression I turned to sculpture.
AW: Why driftwood?
Heather: I love the organic shapes and textures of driftwood honed by the sea and thrown
up by the tides, it has always fascinated me but who could have imagined driftwood horses
and their popularity? Over thirty years ago they appeared in my workshop when I added
small driftwood pieces to a copper wire sculpture in my search for ‘horseness’. Since then
they have grown in scale and gone to the farthest
corners of the earth. They seem to have set a trend
but despite that I am still enthralled by the process,
each sculpture is still a compelling three dimensional
jig saw puzzle, each one is still an adventure. The fascination lies in finding the balance between form and
space that exposes the power and spirit of the horse.
This use of space is what I believe gives the vital force
force to the work and takes it beyond being merely a
literal copy.
AW: The next step is making them into bronzes.
What is the reason for doing this?
Heather: The only disadvantage is the heartbreak of the inevitable decay in sculpture left exposed to the elements. I will not pretend that they will last outside.
After years of struggling to keep up with repairs to extend their lives, I discovered the joy of working for bronze; it allows me
greater choice of material so I can now include the most fragile of driftwood, which is often the most beautiful,’
AW: How do you go about making driftwood into bronze?
The process is complex. The driftwood horse is deconstructed at the foundry for the mould making, and the bits are returned
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