Wilfred Cass is 82, but he still gets plenty of exercise. Twice a day he walks the two-mile circuit of his own spectacular living legacy, a sculpture park set in 26 acres of unspoilt ancient woodland.
He has been doing this since he and his wife established the Cass Sculpture Foundation in 1992, but he never gets bored: as sculptures are sold on, new ones are commissioned so that, among the 70 monumental works to be seen on the site, there's always something new.
Each year the Foundation commissions 12-15 large-scale sculptures and numerous smaller works (maquettes).
Often described as the home of 21st century British sculpture, this is one of the most magical days out to be had in Sussex - last weekend The Independent named it 14th in the country's 50 Best Cultural Days Out. Numbers are also set to rise with the introduction of the membership scheme, which offers limitless visits to the grounds throughout the season.
"Once they've been here they just keep coming back," observes Cass.
"People like to bring their friends and show the place off, show how clever they are to have found us!"
Now open for its 13th season, the intention of the Cass Sculpture Foundation has always been to support British sculpture by commissioning large works from young to internationally acclaimed artists who would not otherwise have the opportunity.
Over the past 15 years, they have commissioned more than 160 largescale sculptures from more than 120 British artists, paying out between six or seven million pounds - "a lot more," as Cass points out, "than any arts prize".
But what really seizes the general public's imagination is the opportunity to see sculpture in such beautiful natural surroundings. Each piece has its own glade, and as you meander through the trees you come upon them as if by accident.
"We actually made a rule that it should be a quarter of an acre per sculptor," says Cass. "Most places you can't read them properly, there are too many pieces vying for your attention at once. If they're big enough these sculptures talk to you, like music."
This year works as diverse as Wendy Taylor's bronze Sycamore and Rob Ward's metallic Gate join much talked about pieces such as Steven Gregory's comical vision of an elephant riding a bicycle and Cathy de Monchaux's interactive Confessional.
New pieces are arriving all the time and Cass is particularly looking forward to seeing Wells Small's The Illusion Of Time, a 2.5 metre sculpture of internally lit glass which he believes is "a new way forward in sculpture".
"There's always something new to do every day, so I never sit back and say, Look what I've done'," says Cass.
"But I do think this is not the kind of thing that anybody will do again."
Bella Todd You're advised to allow at least two hours for your visit.
Article by Bella Todd, first published in the The Argus, August 2007.
