Chris Haggith

Chris Haggith

Bronze Sculptor

Most of my life has been involved in the arts.

From this life time of experience, I have channelled these ideas, inspirations and skills into my art work.

Originally I worked in different theatrical theatres, then I trained as a dancer in Epsom Surrey; this gave me an opportunity to travel around the world, from working for a year in a circus in Mexico, to performing in different shows, exhibitions, theatres and television.

I moved to Norfolk and obtained my degree in Visual Studies at the Norwich University of Arts, with the help of some excellent tutors and colleagues.

While studying I participated in a collaborative American UK exhibition, which was great fun and having work of my final degree show, a very large glass piece, selected to be centre stage for an exhibition of East Anglia artists in Bury St Edmonds Suffolk.

I gained a lot of rewarding experience from working with young adults at East Norfolk Sixth Form College as a technician and as a teacher of 3D Design, helping the students gain an appreciation of art and design, regardless of whether they were going to have a career in the arts or not.

Working as a Bronze Sculptor

While initially working part time at a local foundry, I gained lots of hands on experience and understanding of all the processes involved with the casting of bronze, aluminium and even silver.

It gave me an appreciation of the amount of time, effort and professional skills needed in making a beautiful finished article using this ancient process.

It also allowed me to produce some of my own work.

I love nature, so my present work of bronze sculptures, explores the animal form.

It was during lockdown, with time on my hands, that I started making origami animal figures in paper, which is a very relaxing process and I would recommend to anyone.

Having these origami animals cast into bronze took them to another level. These sculptures have a tactile feeling about them, the observer wants to pick them up, they want to be handled, to feel the weight, the smoothness, even the smell of the bronze. So much of art is look, but don't touch and removes a part of human engagement that can be so fulfilling for us as human beings. I want to produce holistic art, inspired by the natural world that the observer can totally engage with.