De Vere partners with world-renowned sculptor to launch artist in residence programme
Ed Elliott to create new exhibition at De Vere Tortworth Court
De Vere, a collection of historic mansion house estates and distinctive contemporary hotels and event destinations, is to launch its inaugural artist in residence programme, partnering with award-winning sculptor Ed Elliott.
Commencing on 16th April at De Vere Tortworth Court, an historic mansion house hotel in the southern Cotswolds, just north of Bristol, Ed Elliott’s residency will exhibit a significant number of his pieces of art, set against the natural beauty of the hotel’s historic arboretum and within the hotel’s public areas.
The exhibition will focus on a striking large-scale centrepiece, ‘Greer, Guardian Angel #10’. The unique piece of artwork will be available for guests and visitors to view on the terrace overlooking the gardens, alongside several other of the artist’s works, from 16th April until 16th July.
Ed is also in the process of sculpting a bespoke piece from a substantial branch of a 400+ year-old cedar tree, which had come to the end of its natural life, within the grounds of De Vere Tortworth Court, and would otherwise be lost to the elements. The piece will be carved from the four-foot branch using specialist power carving tools and finished with Ed’s signature surface technique, inspired by the Japanese art of Yakisugi. Once complete, the piece will take up its place as part of the residency and will be available to view alongside the wider exhibition.
The pieces in bronze, resin and wood will be showcased within the 30-acre grounds, the Victorian arboretum and on display within the hotel’s atrium, reception and lobby. Guests can learn more about Ed’s sculptures by scanning the QR codes on each work’s plinth. All artwork will be available for sale.
Ed Elliott commented:
“I am delighted to be partnering with De Vere as their first artist in residence, De Vere is committed to preserving their historic mansion houses, which goes hand in hand with what I do with wood – so it felt like a natural partnership. The Tortworth Cedar is the biggest I have seen and therefore has the largest opportunity for what could possibly be my best work yet in this field. I feel compelled to create something special with this specimen that is designed to highlight the unique qualities of this tree’s growth, much of which can only be realised when I begin to work with the wood itself.”
Alan Corlett, Co-CEO at De Vere, said:
“We are incredibly excited to be working with the exceptionally talented Ed Elliott on our first ever artist in residence programme. The exhibition will enable us to use our extensive grounds at De Vere Tortworth Court in a new way, enhancing their natural beauty and providing an accessible experience for our guests. The Tortworth Cedar sadly started to succumb to the elements seven years ago, so by breathing new life into the tree and turning it into a piece of art, Ed is preserving it for years to come.”
Ed Elliott is an award-winning sculptor specialising in large scale figurative pieces, designed with a specific site in mind. His celebrated large-scale ‘Greer, Guardian Angel’ piece received the award for ‘Sculpture of the Year 2020’ at the Cotswold Sculpture Park and was the feature piece in the Winter Sculpture Exhibition at RHS Rosemoor in Devon, UK.