Meet the Maker – Danny Clahane

Clahane began carving stone while studying at Canterbury College of Art. During this time he also worked as an assistant to the sculptor Stephen Cox, carving large granite sculptures destined for Broadgate in London. He has since been commissioned for large-scale projects, including work for the Open University and Tyne Tees Television. 

Today, Clahane creates work primarily for exhibition and private commission, often developing several ideas simultaneously. “I tend to work on a series of pieces at a time and at various stages of completion” he tells us. Working in this way allows ideas to evolve gradually, with the qualities of the stone itself guiding the process: “I like to celebrate the particular qualities of different stones, utilising the different colours and textures.” 

Inspired by the natural world, classical Greek and Roman sculpture, and the expression of emotion, Clahane’s work explores themes of physical presence and rhythm. “I tend to be drawn to ideas of human touch, nature, movement, and pattern” he says. His sculptures can be displayed indoors or outdoors and natural weathering is expected and embraced. With stones forged over millennia, their connection to the earth and elements is part of their story. Clahane reflects on the vast history held within the material while working: “It’s impossible not to be in awe of the timescales and geological forces involved in the formation of rock. For example, a block of green slate I’m working on now was initially formed by volcanic ash and then compressed by the huge force to create a stone, capturing a moment some 300 million years ago.”

Many of his ideas begin as smaller works made in the studio, allowing him to experiment freely with form and composition. “I tend to find that l like to create pieces of work of a more manageable size in the workshop, just as a way of trying out ideas, many of which are suitable for gallery exhibition and some of which would work on a bigger scale and may work as a public commission, so as far as possible a seamless transition between the two.” Clahane continues to balance personal work with commissioned projects, something he finds both rewarding and daunting: “At the moment, I’m very happy to be working on a few commissions, which are wonderful but terrifying in almost equal measure.”

Danny Clahane’s latest collection of tender, emotive sculptures, demonstrating a mastery of his craft, are on display in the gallery now.