Jane Ackroyd facts for kids

Jane Ackroyd is a British artist famous for creating large sculptures that you can see in public places. Born in London in 1957, she creates amazing works of art, often inspired by animals. Her sculptures are made from strong materials like steel and can be found in towns and parks.

Becoming an Artist

Jane Ackroyd was born in London and knew from a young age that she wanted to be an artist. To learn her craft, she went to two very famous art schools. First, she studied at St Martin's School of Art from 1979 to 1982. After that, she earned her master's degree at the Royal College of Art from 1982 to 1983.

In 1984, she worked as an "artist-in-residence" in Leicestershire. This is a special job where an artist is invited to live and work in a new place, sharing their art with the local community. That same year, she had her very first solo art show, where all the artwork on display was her own.

Since 1988, her sculptures have often been chosen for the famous summer exhibitions at the Royal Academy in London.

Famous Sculptures

The Three Rings sculpture (2018) in Ocean Village, Southampton.

Another view of the Three Rings sculpture.

Many of Jane Ackroyd's most famous works are public commissions. This means a town or organization hired her to create a special piece of art for a public space. She is well-known for her sculptures of birds and animals.

Some of her well-known public artworks include:

• Cat: A sculpture located at the Old Library in the town of Harlow.
• Well: A piece found at the Museum of Harlow.
• Other works can be seen in places like Islington and the Haymarket area in London.

Her art is so respected that it has been collected by important groups like Arts Council England and the Goodwood Sculpture Park.

Awards and Recognition

Throughout her career, Jane Ackroyd has won several awards for her amazing talent.

• 1983: She won the Special Melchett Award for her work with steel. She also received a scholarship to travel to Carrara, a city in Italy famous for its marble.
• 1983: While at the Royal College of Art, she was given the Fulham Pottery Award.
• 1993: She won the Europa Nostra Award for a project she worked on with architects to redevelop a historic hospital site in Islington.
• 1995: She received the Jackson Pollock-Lee Krasner Foundation Award, a major honor for artists from the United States.

List of Artworks

Here are some of the sculptures by Jane Ackroyd that are part of public art collections in England.