At Strutt & Parker we appreciate that art isn’t all bricks and mortar which is why we are proud sponsors of Art Out Loud – a literary festival that brings together a collection of cultural ambassadors to talk through all areas of art, writing and collecting. Art Out Loud is just one of many new art events that are happening at Chatsworth, and the event will be running alongside the 10th anniversary of the monumental sculpture exhibition, Beyond Limits.

One such talk taking place over the weekend features , Joseph Walsh and Kevin Francis Gray, who will be taking audiences through their experience of ‘working as a contemporary artist’.

The secret life of a statue

So what does it take to create a modern masterpiece? Master sculptor, Kevin Francis Gray takes us through some of the elements he had to consider when putting together one of his works, titled Ballerina & Boy.

So what are these elements? In Gray’s own words…

The models

I chose a ballerina from The Royal Ballet and a boy from the East End. I find a lot of my models on the streets of London. If I see someone appropriate, I approach them. Not surprisingly, responses are very mixed – not everyone reacts well to being accosted by a stranger on the street.

The inspiration

The art of ballet has always been a source of inspiration, but I didn’t want to portray it in a traditional way. I wanted to capture the grace and beauty of the ballerina, and the ballerina’s complicated relationship with the boy.

The process

I start by sketching models and from these drawings create a clay maquette. This becomes the prototype and is used to develop the marble sculpture.

The studio

The sketches and clay maquette are made in my studio in Hackney and then taken to another studio in Pietrasanta, Italy. This is where the marble work is done, which took a year for ballerina & Boy.

The working day

I am very much a non-to-five artist and like the discipline of the studio. Having said that, although I am literally shutting the door on my mind, which can lead to disrupted sleep patterns when my head’s buzzing with ideas.

The material

Ballerina & Boy is made from white statuario carrara marble. I’m fascinated by taking a material that is classically historical but using it in a contemporary context.

So there’s a little taste of the insights you can learn in the artistic process.

If you want to know more, don’t miss the chance to attend Art Out Loud and hear Kevin Francis Gray, Joseph Walsh and other creators talk through their craft from 18-20 September.

For information and tickets, visit Chatsworth.org.