Exploring Sculpture at Radley College

By Eliza, LVI

Our Art trip to Radley College was both inspiring and practical, giving us the chance to explore sculpture through hands-on making and thoughtful discussion. We began the day with short talks delivered by Radley students on four key sculptors: Constantin Brancusi, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and Emily Young. These introductions helped us understand different approaches to form, carving and abstraction, setting the tone for the practical work to come.

The main focus of the day was soapstone carving. Before starting, we spent time simply handling our pieces of stone, feeling the weight, noticing the natural lines, and imagining what shapes might emerge. Working directly into the material without a set design, we gradually carved, responded to the stone, and refined our forms. Chisels helped us remove larger sections, rasps allowed us to shape curves and details, and some students experimented with drills to create holes or depth, echoing techniques used by sculptors like Hepworth. The process was slow, careful and incredibly absorbing.

After lunch at Radley, we visited the gallery and heard from artist Erin Rosalie, who shared insights into her practice and influences. Returning to the studio, we completed our sculptures and then sanded them with progressively finer grades to achieve a smooth, finished surface.

Before leaving, we spent time looking through one another’s sketchbooks, sharing ideas and seeing how everyone’s work is developing. It was a valuable chance to learn from each other and gather new inspiration.

Overall, the trip gave us a deeper understanding of sculpture, a chance to experiment with new techniques, and an opportunity to collaborate creatively with the Radley artists.