Imet the work before I met the man. I was at the Green Gathering in Chepstow, a festival dedicated to teaching people to live lightly on the planet and have fun, when I turned into the craft field and a giant merman greeted me – otherwise known as The Metamorphosis of Glaucus.
Standing a full twenty feet tall, magnificently carved from one piece of wood, with flowing locks and a perfect aquiline nose, he represented the talent and expertise that awaited visitors to the craft field.
Canterbury-based Daniel Hilton is a young man on a mission. He believes his childhood on a farm, being close to nature, gave him the skills that he uses today to create large stunning works of art from native trees. Daniel trained under master sculptor Graham Jones and spent eight years learning his craft.
The sculpture most people associate with Daniel is his carving of a baby in a tree situated in Victoria Recreation Ground in Canterbury. Carved in March, 2013, Dan tells the story: ‘ There was a dead tree in Canterbury due to be cut down by the Council and I wanted to save the tree and showcase my work. The thought of pregnancy and rebirth led to Tree Baby.’
The work has led to rave reviews for Dan. The Lilford Art Gallery called it a landmark piece of work and it confirmed this young man as an original sculptor, even though he describes his own work as a kind of ‘upcycling firewood’.
His recent work is stunning and he now has a body of work that he rents to festivals and private individuals for functions, and a growing portfolio of public works in the South East of England. He is open for commissions and if twenty foot mermen are not your cup of tea, his chairs, benches and charming loveseats may suit.
A particular favourite of mine is a ten foot chair with a spectacular back that curves and twists following the shape of the original branches, making it look like a tangled mass of curls or intertwining snakes reminiscent of Medusa.
- words: Penny Kemp
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