25
A STUDIO AND FOUNDRY VISIT
Photos supplied by Laurence Edwards
Set in the valley of the River Fromus is the small market town of Saxmundham, the centre of Suffolk’s Heritage Coastal region. It is here that we find the Old Fire Station, dating back to 1910, which houses the studio of Laurence Edwards.
We were warmly welcomed into the space, the hive of Laurence’s creativity, experimentation and expression. There was a lot to behold - everywhere was filled with works in different stages of completion - giving one an insight into the thought process of an artist with a deep sense of history and a keen observation of the human condition.
While it was very interesting listening to Lawrence talk about the way he works – his methods, what inspires and motivates him, his aspirations – we had the opportunity to ask questions, enjoy a creative exchange of ideas and sharing of experiences.
After a lunch break to recalibrate our brains from all the information gathered from the studio visit, we proceeded to Laurence’s bronze foundry, located within an industrial estate in Halesworth. We walked into the cavernous unit, stopped in our tracks, and gasped at a 26-foot Colossus.
Please click the arrow in the centre of the frame to play the video.
Also residing in the foundry is an eight-foot clay figure of a man. Called Man of Stones, it is a “figure of his environment” and inspired by – wait for it – the caddisfly larva which makes its protective home out of debris found within its reach. The Man of Stones will have a carapace of stones, sticks and other detritus gathered from various Norfolk beaches.
The maquette for the Man of Stones.