Jilly Sutton studied at Exeter College of Art before settling in Devon where she now lives and works.
The driving force behind her work comes from the tranquillity of her surroundings. Her wooden house and studio are on the banks of the Dart Estuary where the calmness and order of the river continually influences the peacefulness of her sculptures.
Sutton's works are predominantly wooden and figurative - although many of her works have also been cast in bronze, such as 'Fallen Deodar' at the Cass Sculpture Foundation. She has work in private collections and public galleries including The National Portrait Gallery, which holds her carving of poet laureate, Andrew Motion; The Museum of Liverpool Life, and various sculpture gardens.
Her work is arresting but at the same time there is an overriding feeling of serenity. There is a decisive shape and form to her pieces, but also a dynamism that comes from the organic character of her material. Surface texture is important in both her 3D and her 2D work.