What happens when two sculptors build not just a life together, but a living artwork?

In this week’s episode of Extraordinary Creatives, I’m joined by Laura Ford and Andrew Sabin—partners in art and in life—whose decades-long dialogue between material, imagination, and place has produced some of the most distinctive sculpture in Britain today.

Their story is one of instinct, invention, and fearless making. Laura’s work teems with humour, vulnerability, and human emotion—anthropomorphic creatures who hold a mirror to our tenderness and absurdity—while Andrew’s practice has moved from experimental casting to vast public works and the immersive environments of Matt Black Barn, the art-education complex they built from scratch in rural England.

Together, they’ve navigated family, teaching, commissions, resistance, renewal, and the long game of sustaining creative momentum.

This conversation is a love letter to material thinking, to risk-taking, and to building a world big enough to hold it all.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The art doesn’t stop at the sculpture. It continues in the structures Laura and Andrew build, the people they invite in, and the courage to keep creating a life on their own terms.

When you make bold or controversial work, the reception is unpredictable, so you have to accept that staying true to your convictions may sometimes cost you opportunities.

For Andrew and Laura, sharing their work, through open studios, educational initiatives, and public engagements is central to their philosophy. They believe feedback and interpretation from others are vital for growth, even when it surprises or challenges them

BEST MOMENTS

“I remember Jenny Lomax coming in and saying, ‘Laura, I love this work, but I’d lose all my funding if I ever showed it’ - which was fair.”

“The monthly fee from the gallery was nice, but it sort of ate into me…I'd find myself making decisions that I just hated myself for.”

“Art and life are never separate—they’re intertwined, negotiated, rebuilt, and reimagined daily.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.mattblackbarn.co.uk

https://www.instagram.com/mattblackbarn

https://www.instagram.com/laura_ford_sculpture

https://www.instagram.com/andrewsabinsculpture

PODCAST HOST BIO

With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.

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This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/