Behind the Design: How Edge Sculpture by Matt Buckley Reimagines Animal Sculpting for the Modern Collector
At Gallery Gifts, we are big fans of the striking beauty of the Edge Sculpture collection by Matt Buckley. This bold and contemporary range of animal sculptures and busts is designed to grab your attention – and capture your imagination.
When Matt Buckley and his team at Robert Harrop Designs set out to create the line, they took a very firm stance on focusing on style and personality. This approach proved very successful for company founder Robert Harrop and his world-famous Doggie People collection, which is still going 25 plus years strong.
However, wanting to imbue his own design eye on his interpretation of Animalia, Matt Buckley wanted to strike more of a balance between real shapes and outlines of animals, and fantastical expressive eyes and action poses. The result is a range of animal sculptures that feel grounded in reality, yet carry the majestic qualities of animal characters you would find in animated films.
The Cobra is ready to strike: Each animal figure in the Edge Sculpture range has a signature sculpted pose, composition and art style.
This unique art and design principles are then enhanced through Robert Harrop Designs’ development team and their unique approach to the sculpting and moulding process. Wanting to bring an earthy and organic quality to the range you do not commonly find in home-appropriate animal sculpting, Edge Sculpture pieces are made by hand using a ceramic polystone marble resin made from reconstituted stone, wet clay and steel pins in a vacuum chamber (as opposed to the rubber mould approach). A finishing touch is then added via sanding blocks to give each contemporary sculpture a deliberate rawness. This results in a firm and tactile clay sculpt that is a conversation starter in itself – we have ourselves have asked what this truly striking collection of contemporary sculptures is made of, and now you know!
The Edge Sculpture design studio then applies the uniquely earthy colour patterns and chosen hues by hand, ensuring each Edge Sculpture has had a human eye applying the maximum aesthetic judgement to ensure it is a faithful reproduction of Matt Buckley’s master.
Each Edge Sculpture is hand-designed by Matt Buckley (pictured), with the designer hand-crafting the original clay sculpture master.
This unique art and design principles are then enhanced through Robert Harrop Designs’ development team and their unique approach to the sculpting and moulding process. Wanting to bring an earthy and organic quality to the range you do not commonly find in home-appropriate animal sculpting, Edge Sculpture pieces are made by hand using a ceramic polystone marble resin made from reconstituted stone, wet clay and steel pins in a vacuum chamber (as opposed to the rubber mould approach). A finishing touch is then added via sanding blocks to give each contemporary sculpture a deliberate rawness. This results in a firm and tactile clay sculpt that is a conversation starter in itself – we have ourselves have asked what this truly striking collection of contemporary sculptures is made of, and now you know!
The Edge Sculpture design studio then applies the uniquely earthy colour patterns and chosen hues by hand, ensuring each Edge Sculpture has had a human eye applying the maximum aesthetic judgement to ensure it is a faithful reproduction of Matt Buckley’s master.
The Welcoming Orangutan: the finished Edge Sculpture, combining personality with design (click here to buy).
Yet what truly has established Matt Buckley and his striking collection as the de-facto brand in animal sculptures is the accessible price point. By using the latest innovations in sculpting, Edge Sculpture retail prices range from £95 to £420, which was previously unheard of for contemporary sculpture items of this quality. The barrier to entry has been truly shattered, with Gallery Gifts currently able to offer collectors even further savings across our full range, including all-time favourites like the Lion Bust and Wolf Bust.
There are many more exciting new products coming to Edge Sculpture – we’ve seen a few of them, so sign up for our newsletter to hear from our sales team about the latest sculptures. We cannot wait for where Matt Buckley takes us next in the Animal Kingdom… And beyond!