Faq

Yes, all the sculptures are made by Paul Richardson in his workshop in Suffolk, UK.

I design, fabricate and install public art commissions including memorial commissions. I am experienced in this sector and hold public liability insurance and prepare RAMS for site work. I tend not to offer fabrication only work am not part of CIS.

I have completed many public art commissions across the UK, with sculptures permanently sited in Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Kent, Staffordshire and the West Midlands. There is a complete list of commissions on the ‘awards, shows, commissions’ section of the website.

The process starts with an initial discussion of your idea, site, budget, and timeline. I can then provide a sketch and a cost estimate. Once approved, a deposit is secured, and fabrication is scheduled.

For a bespoke commission costs vary according to size. A small scale commssion (roughly 30cm high) typically starts from around £1200, a medium (roughly 1m high) from around £3600, a large scale (roughly 1.5m high) from around £6000 (1.6m high)

Minimal maintenance is required. A wash with mild soap and water will keep the piece looking pristine. If there is a powder coat colour applied use a soft cloth for cleaning only, as abrasion could harm the powder coating.

Smaller pieces come with felt or protective bases for tables and shelves. Wall-mounted sculptures include heavy-duty, integrated mounting brackets for easy hanging.

For large scale sculptures I will agree a delivery and installation plan with you. Typically I will move the sculpture into place using a trolley. If it is going onto soft ground I will stake it down for you. If it is going onto a hard surface I will provide the appropriate fixings such as resin anchors.

If the sculpture is galvanised only and not painted or powder coated, the zinc has been oxidised to a stable place, so the sculptures will not change over time. When it rains the wet surface looks a dark slate grey, and just like slate, as it dries off, it chalks up again to a light chalky grey.

If they have been first galvanised and then painted or powder coated to add colour like all paint and powder coat colour this can fade over time, due to the UV light outdoors, typically several years to see noticeable changes.

The zinc patina I create is the zinc surface that has oxidised in air and moisture. It is a light chalky grey in colour. Natural rust finishes usually refer to mild steel when oxidised in air and moisture, or 'rusted'. This is initially orange but turns to a deep brown colour in time. Weathering steel also has a rust finish that also goes through an orange to deep brown cycle but has self limiting properties to halt corrosion after the first sacrificial layers are shed.

To prevent them from rusting outdoors I hot dip galvanise our steel sculptures in zinc. This chemically bonds the zinc to the steel at very high temperatures in order to protect the steel from air and moisture outdoors. I take the finished steel sculpture from the workshop to a galvanising tank offsite and then return them to the workshop, zinc coated, for their final finishings.

If the desired finish is rust I can also accommodate this with either rusted mild steel or if the particular piece allows I can use a weathering steel like corten.

Yes the zinc coated steel sculptures are fine in an exposed setting including coastal areas. The zinc coating is bonded to the steel at very high temperatures which fully protects the steel from air and moisture outdoors and prevents it from rusting. I live in a coastal area in Suffolk and have had no issues with the sculptures in my garden, some of which are over 25 years old.

Zinc coated steel which has been hot dip galvanised will remain without surface deterioration for between 20 and 100+ years outdoors depending on the conditions of the immediate environment. I live in a coastal environment and have sculptures that are over 25 years old with no deterioration.

I am based in Suffolk, UK. My address is Ambleside, Leiston Road, Middleton, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 3NT.

I welcome customer visits by appointment to the site at IP17 3NT to see the sculptures in my garden. You can see the public art work in places including Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Kent, Staffordshire and the West Midlands. The location of each public commission is shown on the ‘awards, shows, commissions’ section of our website.

Paul and Catherine Richardson are a husband-and-wife team. Both trained artists, Paul, the sculptor, uses his ability as a dyslexic thinker to offer expert strengths in 3D visualisation and spatial design. Catherine, a painter with a background in art history and museum education, brings strong visual communication. She will be your dedicated point of contact throughout the commissioning and ordering process.

I work with mild steel and on occasion weathering steel (Corten)

Most of the steel sculptures are hollow so depending on the scale of the piece they can be manually lifted or moved with a trolley. Small scale metal sculptures are heavy enough to be stable on a shelf whilst large scale outdoor pieces will have an integrated base plate or spike fixings to ensure their stability.

Visits are welcome by appointment only.

For commissions, a 50% non-refundable deposit is required to secure materials and space on my studio calendar. The remaining 50% balance is due upon completion, just prior to delivery.


 Yes, I can ship worldwide. Smaller pieces are securely boxed, while larger works are custom-crated in wood to prevent any shifting or damage during transit.

For large or heavy outdoor pieces, I will discuss installation requirements with you and agree a delivery and installation plan. Unless the piece is particularly large I can usually take care of both the delivery and installation of our pieces to UK mainland destinations.

Yes we have moved several sculptures for people when they have moved to a new house. We have also built and installed additional footing structures to spread the weight and support a sculpture where the ground partly subsided on an island setting.