Simon Gudgeon
Born
Simon Gudgeon was born in Yorkshire in 1958.
Early Life
He grew up on a family farm in the countryside, where he developed a strong connection to nature and learned to observe and interpret the behaviour of animals and birds.
Education
He studied law at Reading University and later worked as a solicitor before turning to art in adulthood.
Career
Gudgeon began painting in his thirties and first exhibited in 1992 at London’s Battersea Exhibition Centre. At around the age of 40, he transitioned into sculpture after an impulse purchase of clay, establishing a career focused on the natural world. He has since achieved international recognition, exhibiting in cities including London, New York, Paris, San Diego, and the Netherlands. His work is held in major private and public collections worldwide, including the National Museum of Wildlife Art in the USA. He also founded Sculpture by the Lakes in Dorset, where his monumental works are displayed in a dedicated sculpture park alongside his studio.
Materials
He primarily works in bronze, but also uses marble, granite, glass, and stainless steel. For modelling, he employs materials such as terracotta clay, oil-based clay, epoxy resin, and foam, depending on the scale and nature of each piece.
Style & Subject
His work is inspired by the natural world, particularly wildlife. He is best known for sculptures of birds in flight, often using minimal forms and subtle details to suggest movement and anatomy rather than fully detailed representation. His style reduces subjects to essential shapes, maintaining an underlying sense of life and structure while moving toward abstraction and emotional expression.
Exhibitions
He has exhibited internationally in London, New York, San Diego, Paris, and the Netherlands, and his work is permanently displayed at Sculpture by the Lakes in Dorset.
Simon Gudgeon art for sale from The Sculpture Park is detailed below:
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All Sculpture £95,000 inc VATMonumental Bird God Bronze Sculpture – Thoth by Simon Gudgeon (Edition of 6)
Thoth by Simon Gudgeon, Bronze