Sculptures inspired by nature's endless cycles, the energy of wind-blown leaves. Moments of movement, freedom, and transformation preserved in metal.
The work
Each sculpture is created with its setting and its owners in mind, making every sculpture a truly individual commission. More than an object, it becomes part of a place, gathering meaning over time, catching the changing light and seasons, and creating a quiet connection between nature, art and home.
The collection
Steel made to look weightless, built leaf by leaf. Verdance, Arboreta and Ascent, each one made to commission and no two alike.
As light moves across its surface, the leaves appear to shimmer with life, inviting reflection on nature's resilience, abundance and quiet power. Verdance is a celebration of the energy that flows through all living things.
The sculpture captures nature in a moment of dynamic balance, an embodiment of growth, renewal and the invisible forces that connect earth, light, wind and life. Its flowing form holds within it the promise of future forests.
A column of leaves that lifts from the border and twists toward the light, around five feet tall. It gives a planting scheme a still point to gather around, and holds its presence through the winter when the beds die back.
Light
Every form is pierced right through, so light becomes part of the work. By day the sun passes clean through the leaves and lays their pattern across the grass. After dark, a lamp set low or hidden within turns the steel into a lantern, the surface catching the glow and throwing the leaves out soft and large across a wall or a lawn. A sculpture that stands quietly in daylight becomes the warm heart of the garden at night.
In detail
Process
Each piece begins as flat steel and a pattern. Every leaf is cut out, its veins worked in and its edges turned, then set into an openwork frame one at a time. A large form can carry several hundred leaves. The finish is yours to shape, from a soft, weathered patina to warm coppers, rich colour or bright plating, each chosen for the place it will stand in. Begin a conversation and Donna will work with you to make something that belongs to your setting alone, no two ever the same.
Commissions
Every commission is individually made to order, so no two are ever alike. You work directly with Donna to find the perfect form, scale and finish for your setting, from an intimate interior to a monumental landmark for a hotel, a corporate building or a public park. Every piece can be sized to suit, with no limit to scale.
The artist
I am a garden artist and designer with a deep connection to nature and a passion for creating harmonious spaces.
Beyond my large-scale sculptures, the spheres and teardrop forms that evoke nature's energy, I draw on my experience with ceramics and tactile design. Whether shaping clay or metal, I bring an intimate attention to detail and British craftsmanship to every commission.
My work blends sculptural artistry with a designer's eye, creating timeless outdoor installations that turn gardens into living works of art.
Questions
Every piece is made to order. You begin a conversation with Donna about your setting, the scale you have in mind and the finish you like, and she designs a sculpture to suit. No two are ever the same.
Prices begin at £1,600 plus VAT. The final figure depends on the size of the piece, the finish you choose and the complexity of the form. Donna will give you a clear guide once she understands the setting.
Yes. The work is made for gardens and interiors alike, from an intimate hallway or reception to a courtyard, a corporate building or a public park.
Each piece is cut from steel and can be taken in many directions, from a soft weathered patina to warm coppers, rich colour or bright plating. The surface is chosen to sit with your planting, your stone and your light.
Any scale. A sculpture can be drawn for the grandest of settings or kept to the intimacy of a smaller, private space. Every piece is sized to suit its place.
Every form is pierced right through, so a lamp set low or hidden within turns the steel into a lantern after dark, throwing the pattern of its leaves soft and large across a wall or a lawn.
Enquire
Whether you have a setting in mind or are simply curious about the work, send a note and Donna will reply personally.
Or write directly to donna@bailye.co.uk