Beth Cullen-Kerridge facts for kids

Beth Cullen-Kerridge (born in 1970) is a talented English sculptor. She creates amazing artworks, often using different materials and ideas.

Early Life and Artistic Journey

Beth Cullen-Kerridge was born in Stoke-on-Trent. Her mother, Judith Vincent, was a businesswoman, and her father, James Cullen, was a painter. Growing up with a painter father likely sparked her interest in art.

She studied art at John Moores University and later at the famous Royal College of Art. These schools helped her develop her skills and unique artistic style.

In 1994, Beth achieved a special milestone. She was the very first artist chosen to create a sculpture for the Napoleon Garden exhibition in Holland Park, London. Her sculptures were also displayed in two other well-known London Parks.

Working with Famous Artists

Beth's sculptures have been shown in many exhibitions across England. She even created special pieces for her hometown of Stoke-on-Trent.

Early in her career, she worked as an assistant in foundries. Foundries are places where metal sculptures are made. There, she helped produce works for some very famous sculptors. These included Eduardo Paolozzi, Elisabeth Frink, and Sir Anthony Caro. This experience taught her a lot about making large-scale sculptures.

A New Path: Running a Gastropub

In 2004, Beth moved to Norfolk. A year later, she moved to Marlow in Buckinghamshire. Here, she started a new adventure. She helped develop and open a special kind of restaurant called a gastropub. It was named The Hand and Flowers.

She opened this pub with her husband, chef Tom Kerridge. They have a son named Acey, who was born in 2015. They were able to buy the pub with money Beth received from a sculpture project. She had created a sculpture for a roundabout in Stoke-on-Trent. For several years, Beth focused on building the pub business. During this time, she took a break from creating sculptures.

Returning to Sculpture

In 2010, Beth Cullen-Kerridge traveled to Carrara, Italy. This city is famous for its beautiful marble. There, she studied marble carving with skilled local artisans. This trip helped her learn new techniques and brought her back to her passion for sculpture.

In 2014, she held an exhibition at Hoxton Arches in Hoxton, East London. One of her notable works displayed there was called "Hung out to Dry." It featured a formal shirt placed on a crucifix.

Her sculptures often feature interesting and thought-provoking designs. For example, she created a sculpture of a shirt torso with a shark fin sticking out from the back. She also had an exhibition at Gallery Different in Percy Street, London, in October 2015.