Meet our tutors
Our workshops are hosted by acclaimed artists who guide and inspire you through live demonstrations and personal critiques.
They’re a lovely bunch. Find out more about them below.
Or click here for workshop info.
Hywel Pratley
Hywel Pratley is a British figurative sculptor based in London. Originally an English teacher, he trained at the Florence Academy of Art, where he was influenced by the traditions of academic sculpture and masters including Rodin, Bernini and Brancusi.
Best known for his portraits and figurative work in clay and bronze, Hywel combines close observation with a contemporary approach to sculpture. He taught at the Florence Academy of Art for over fifteen years and is Vice President of the Society of Portrait Sculptors.
A member of the Royal Society of Sculptors, Hywel has exhibited internationally and completed major public commissions in the UK and abroad. His works include the first permanent memorial statue of HM Queen Elizabeth II in England -which he cast in our foundry - unveiled in Rutland in 2024, and monuments to Al-Farabi in Kazakhstan and Sir Joseph Williamson in Rochester.
Andrian Melka
Andrian Melka is a British-Albanian figurative sculptor based in York (b.1972). He trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana during the final years of communism. He was influenced by the socialist realist tradition and the sculpture of the classical and Renaissance masters.
Best known for his work in marble, stone and bronze, Andrian carves directly by eye, following a method inspired by Michelangelo. After moving to England in 1997 on a Getty scholarship, he studied at the Building Crafts College in London before becoming Head Sculptor for renowned carver Dick Reid.
Since establishing his own studio in 2003, he has completed commissions across the UK and America. A QEST scholar and recipient of the QEST Award for Excellence, his clients include HM King Charles III. His public works include the Bamburgh Castle War Memorial, while his over-life-sized bronze statue of Captain Sir Tom Moore was exhibited at Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 2022.
Tristan MacDougall
Tristan MacDougall is a British figurative sculptor based in Northamptonshire. He studied Fine Art: Sculpture at Winchester School of Art before training at the Florence Academy of Art, where he developed a strong appreciation for classical and Renaissance sculpture.
Best known for his portrait and figurative work in clay, bronze and relief, Tristan combines traditional craftsmanship with a contemporary approach. Working primarily from life, his sculptures explore the expressive qualities of the human form.
Alongside his studio practice, Tristan has completed commissions for public and private collections in the UK and internationally. An award-winning member of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, his work is held in the collections of the British Museum and the American Numismatic Society, and includes public commissions at Stowe and Painshill Park.