Josh Olley is a self-taught sculptor with a strong focus on the smallest of details and the overall finish to his pieces. His passion for large stone sculpture developed naturally as his abilities evolved. He favours argillite stone for its hard and durable quality – and its ability to hold a very fine edge and detail. The hand is a regular form that he works with to present his message.

“My work is about us/people – the environment has a reflection on our state of being, and to help one is to help the other. Hands are us – a strong form that seems to be actually present in the rocks – eager to appear and each with a unique voice. The first stage of my sculpture is discovering the form that fits the stone, so the potential of each unique stone remains in the finished piece. This is vital to process and can take years to find. The whole process can take many months of full-time dedicated work; however, the satisfaction and strong connection to each piece develops as the form begins to take shape.”

Amelia, a sculptor of smaller works, often accompanies Josh’s large pieces with a bronze. Her behind-the-scenes actions also include the conceptual drawings, aiding in the finishing, mould making and bouncing around their ideas.