Chris Bell Sculptor

Born in the North of England, I first discovered my passion for sculpture while studying Industrial Design at the Manchester College of Art and Design. Although my career initially took a different path, my move to rural France in 2010 gave me the space to return fully to the work that has always mattered most to me.

Largely self-taught, I began with figurative sculpture and gradually moved toward simplified, essential forms shaped by intuition and by the character of each stone. My practice is strongly influenced by travel and by working with local materials. Carving black granite in India and alabaster in Spain in 2023 opened new directions in abstraction, while a 2025 journey to Tafraoute in Morocco—home to extraordinary wind-shaped granite formations—left a lasting mark on my recent work.

Today I continue to explore both natural and abstract form in stone and resin, drawing inspiration from the landscapes and cultures I encounter. I live and work in Voisey, eastern France, alongside my wife, who is a painter. 

Ceramics

I began working with clay in the winter of 2018—my first experience with a medium built through addition rather than subtraction. After years of carving stone, the shift to constructing forms was transformative. This exploration led to the creation of my Castleman Series, a collection of smoke-fired and waxed ceramic heads. In 2019 and 2020, I developed additional terracotta figures, some of which now appear in my ongoing Machine Sculptures.

Metal

After discovering arc welding, I began creating sculptures that combined metal and stone. This quickly evolved into more complex multi-media works, allowing me to expand the possibilities of form, scale, and structure.

Mixed Media

In 2019, I started producing mixed-media sculptures incorporating plaster, metal, wood, clay, and found objects. These works grew from a desire to respond to contemporary social issues—our dependency on social media, global protest movements, and the rise of artificial intelligence. Mixed media offered a flexible language for exploring these themes.

Machine Sculptures

During the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, I began a new series using assemblage techniques, found materials, and handmade terracotta figures. The Machine Sculptures mark a shift into a more surreal and imaginative world of machines, mysticism, and metaphor. These works reflect our growing reliance on technology—both physical and digital—while suggesting that human ingenuity still holds the power to transform and evolve.

The terracotta figures, often small and vulnerable beside the large constructed machines, symbolize the tension between human fragility and technological dominance. Yet they also hint at our ability to harness unseen energies and create a better world. I plan to continue this series, incorporating sound, movement, and interactive elements.

Relevant Education & Work

  • Manchester College of Art and Design, UK — 1967–1970

  • Founder, Arts Centre, Chester, UK — 1975–1979

  • Art and Photo Gallery Owner, Brighton, UK — 1982–1984

  • Print and Framing Company — 1988–1991

  • Design and Publishing Studio — 1991–1999

  • Sculptor — 2010–present

I have exhibited in England, France, and India.