Rust and Reverie in OUTSIDELEFT

Norfolk Open Studios 2025

Last week I was lucky enough to visit the open studio of sculptor Berni Marfleet, but before I get to that, here’s a little about Open Studios. The county of Norfolk runs an open studio event every year between May and June and this year is its 30th anniversary. Open studios are a wonderful opportunity to see the artist in their own creative space and a chance for artists to exhibit their work in a world where access to galleries is a constant challenge. From schools, and colleges to new and established artists, from large studios to garden sheds, from painters and sculptors to weavers, jewellery makers and furniture designers. The link to Open Studios in Norfolk is at the end of this article and I strongly recommend you get along to a few whilst you still can.

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Anyway, back to Berni. This is the second time I’ve visited the workshops and gardens of Berni Marfleet and as I’ve pointed out previously, I am a champion of sculpture in natural surroundings. The moment I saw my first Henry Moore in a Scottish sculpture park when I was seven, I got it. Marfleet’s gardens are a wonderland of scrap metal sculptures (many of which are designed to sway in the wind). A magical world of strange metal insects and spiders and birds and trolls and fairies and abstract architectural shapes. He collects material from scrapyards garages, farms and bike shops and gets to work with his arc welder to make waste into art. Influenced by the agricultural, railway and industrial history of north Norfolk. I’ve only been to Marfleet’s mini sculpture park in the summer, and it is a very contemplative place to sit and listen to the birds and the wind blowing through his creations, but I imagine it is also a wonderful place to sit and watch the seasons change. If you are interested in something a little smaller for interior design, Marfleet has a glyptotheque of fascinating pieces made from musical instruments, car parts and shed tools above his workshop.

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