A sculptor who built a seven-metre high Welsh dragon artwork in honour of the King’s coronation and used over 2,000kg of marine grade, reclaimed stainless steel to reinforce a tree that died in 1933 which his dragon sits atop is showcasing his work at the Chelsea Flower Show – he believes it to be the largest driftwood sculpture ever displayed at the event. James Doran-Webb, 55, who now lives in Cebu, Philippines, with his wife, Yeohoon, 48, a retired businesswoman, and their daughter, Diana, 12, says he has an affinity for giving “cast-offs” a second life and that a lot of his artwork is created from recycled materials.
Taking inspiration from the natural world, James’ latest creation is a six-tonne piece including a driftwood sculpture of a wyvern, a type of four-limbed dragon and the national animal of Wales, perched on a tree, in homage to the former Prince of Wales. James’ display also features a floral arrangement planted in the form of a crown.
He said: “The Flight of the Wyvern is one of the very few projects over the course of my 35-year career which has pushed me into unchartered territory. The creative journey has thrown up huge challenges and moments of sheer euphoria. From finding the dead tree back in 2011 which I eventually got permission to bring back to my workshop to building the dragon and reinforcing the tree so the sculpture could perch on it, it has been an incredible experience.”
