push beyond the confines of his own boundaries in search of new challenges to feed his creative spirit and enhance his work led him to stainless steel.

His early work was sculpted in clay and stone, now he explores natural movement in a medium that enables his sculptures to be moved from one position to another with ease.

The Turrill Garden, which can be found at the rear of the Summertown Library, acts as a backdrop for his latest exhibition of stainless steel shapes that mark his transition from one medium to another.

The beauty of steel is that it sparkles in the sunlight and reflects the foliage in which it has been placed, such that it is constantly changing as clouds come and go.

Many of the two dozen sculptures have been carefully placed between shrubs and trees in the garden, others have been placed on the lawn.

Large leaves with little amber seeds sit comfortably on the lawn, looking as if they have dropped from the trees. Tall stainless steel plants that open their seedpods to the sky to expose small glass seeds are hidden within the shrubs. Just one work, entitled Comet, is fixed to the wall.

No garden is complete without a few birds – Ian supplies them in the shape of swans, some of which are rising on the air, others taking flight. They are superb depictions of this noble bird, which capture the very essence of a swan in simple yet swan-like lines that need no further ornamentation.

The advantage of exhibiting these delightful shapes in a small garden hidden away in the centre of a busy shopping area is that visitors can relax on a seat and take their time to absorb the beautiful flowing lines of Ian’s work.

This exhibition will remain on show until May 1. Entrance is free and all work exhibited is for sale.