Enjoy an evening with artist Frode Bolhuis, to include a Presentation of Work followed by Q&A.
We are delighted to be welcoming Artist, Frode Bolhuis, to Derby Museums. Known internationally, Frode is coming to the region to run one of his highly popular weeklong courses at the Museum of Making. As part of this visit Frode has kindly extended the offering, to present his work and answer questions during this informal evening event.
This is set to be a wonderful opportunity to delve deeper into the work of Frode, get a better understanding of his thinking, his inspiration, and his approach to making. From his studio in the Netherlands, Frode has been working on Daily Sculptures using materials such as polymer clay, textiles, wood, wire, and found objects.
‘For Bolhuis, the daily act of making is both discipline and liberation: a way of staying close to the raw energy of creation without being held back by expectations of grandeur or permanence.’
About the artist:
Frode Bolhuis creates sculptures that feel like small, self-contained worlds. His figures are playful, colorful, and seem to carry traces of forgotten myths, ancient stories, or half-remembered dreams. Each piece invites the viewer into a space where the familiar and the Mystical meet.
Bolhuis’s artistic journey began early. After studying with sculptors in England and later at the Minerva Academy in Groningen, he initially focused on large-scale public works — sculptures designed for parks, hospitals, and schools. Yet over time, he was drawn to a more intimate, daily practice: smaller figures that could be shaped quickly, instinctively, without the heavy machinery or long planning processes that public commissions demanded.
Since 2022, he has been working on The Daily Sculptures, a personal project rooted in ritual and spontaneity. Nearly every day, Bolhuis creates a new figure by hand, using materials such as polymer clay, textiles, wood, wire, and found objects. He does not begin with a sketch or a clear concept; instead, he lets the work emerge organically, led by intuition and the feel of the material. This open-ended approach gives each sculpture its own unique life and character.
The resulting figures are lively, tender, sometimes a little strange — and always deeply human. They seem to exist somewhere outside of time: carrying echoes of ancient idols, tribal masks, or futuristic beings, yet at the same time unmistakably personal and contemporary.
For Bolhuis, the daily act of making is both discipline and liberation: a way of staying close to the raw energy of creation without being held back by expectations of grandeur or permanence.
Frode Bolhuis lives and works in Almere, the Netherlands, together with his wife and three children. His practice continues to evolve, but at its heart remains the same quiet commitment: to create, to explore, and to give form to the mystery of life.
The event is free and expected to be popular, so booking is essential and come ready to be inspired.
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