FROM October 12 to 26 the glorious grounds of Newport House in Almeley will provide the setting for an ambitious sculpture exhibition, Out of Nature, organised to raise funds and awareness for The Cart Shed, a project guided by the belief that being involved with nature has benefits for everyone.

The exhibition will showcase the ways in which sculptors interpret their response to the natural environment and the natural materials with which they work, to create a world of meaning an expression.

The sculptures will join two distinctive pieces already part of the Newport House landscape – a lifesized deer created from natural materials by local sculptor Sally Matthews and Locutus by Jonathan Loxley, whose work can be seen at the prestigious Goodwood Sculpture Park.

Among those exhibiting are Peter Randall-Page, who has undertaken numerous large scale commissions and has work in the permanent collections of the Tate Gallery and the British Museum amongst others. His practice has always been informed and inspired by the study of natural phenomena and their impact on our emotions.

William Peers is a stone sculptor based in Cornwall who has recently completed a project to make 100 sculptures in 100 days, while h.Art young artist bursary winner Will Carr works in steel to create both abstract and figurative sculptures.

“I have a passion for understanding the world around us,” he says. “I am intrigued by the varied forms nature has created and I love understanding how everything interacts, from the intrinsic properties of nature at molecular and biological levels, up to theories of our universe.”

There will also be work from Garway-based sculpting couple Matt Lane Sanderson and Rachel Wood. Matt is a designer, metalsmith and sculptor currently engaged on a number of public art projects across the UK while Rachel says of her work: “I single out the oddball, the bold, the bewildered and the quirky. I’m less concerned with making copies of nature and more interested in the life within the creature.”

Among others showing work are Sara Bamford, Paul Caton, Antonia Spowers, Tania Mosse, Richard Renshaw and Paul Vanstone.

A series of workshops takes place over both weekends of the exhibition, with the opening weekend featuring land art (11am to 6pm both days) with Kate Raggett, who will invite visitors to help her make a large abstract land drawing using found natural materials from the gardens and estate. Or drop in to try out stone carving with Lottie O’Leary on Saturday, October 12, between 11am and 4pm.

Also on Saturday is forest school with Sam Goddard and a demonstration by The Cart Shed of what it does in its woods every week, including basket making, pole lathing and whittling.

The following weekend sees two full-day workshops: a stone carving workshop with Lottie O’Leary, and relief wood carving with Ant Beetlestone. Booking, at £50 per workshop including lunch, is essential. Email jenny@thecartshed.co.uk.

There is also a fun workshop ‘Sculpting for the terrified’ with creativity consultant Tim Rawlins and a ‘land art for children’ session with forest school leader, Sam Goddard.

Visit outofnature.org.uk for full details of the exhibition and workshops.

Out of Nature runs from October 12 to 26, 11am to 6pm daily.