page_title: Mark Reed (sculptor)
section_title: Biography
hierarchical_section_title: Mark Reed (sculptor) / Biography
caption_attribution_description: English: Leaf Chair Aluminium by Mark Reed
context_page_description: Mark Reed is a British sculptor based in East Anglia. He works primarily in metal – bronze, forged steel and aluminium, his themes include nature, family and the passage of time.
context_section_description: Born in Colchester, he spent his early years in Suffolk, relocating with his family to a Fruit Farm in rural Norfolk in his teens. The trees in the orchards he once pruned and shaped have inspired much of Reed's sculpture and furniture. 
  Mark studied Engineering at the University of Wales. 
  Reed launched his nature inspired range of furniture in 1999 at Decorex, London and it was at this time that Derek Pullen, Head of Sculpture Conservation, Tate Collections described Reed's Leaf Chair in cast aluminium as "a very well resolved and elegant design." In 2002 Mark made Penshurst Dining Table for Fortnum & Mason, London. During this period he worked mainly within the sphere of furniture and interior design, but then turned his attention to sculpture, setting up a foundry in his studio and thus began casting his own bronzes. His initial sculptures explored his fascination with nature and he quickly became known for his tree sculptures in forged steel, the individual branches are heated in the forge and then tapered on the anvil, so the fluid shape of the tree begins to 'grow'. On the birth of his first son in 2004 Reed's own experiences of family life led to a new direction in his work, with his fork and spoon sculptures in stainless steel. In 2004 he worked on his first public commission- Bronze and Cast Iron Tree Planters for The Prince's Trust and the City of London, unveiled by the Lord Mayor of the City.
  In 2005, Reed lost his daughter to cot death and his struggle to deal with her loss created Salvation, which is both a teardrop, where tears are the overflow for raging internal emotions and a droplet of rain or dew which is vital for the existence of life. All profits from the sale of this sculpture have gone to The Foundation for the Study of Infant Death Mark regularly uses recycled materials where possible and was actively involved in the Creative Partnership Initiative, working with local primary schools to engage and discuss in the creative process that evolved into his Spaceship (2011) sculpture and Spoon Seesaw 2012. He currently lives with his wife and four boys near Swaffham in Norfolk.
caption: Leaf Chair- Aluminium
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