Humphrey Bowden Fountain Designer and Maker
Telephone 01798 344114 Email humphreybowden@aol.com
Humphrey
Bowden is a designer and maker of unusual sculptural fountains, mainly
based on slender plant and tree shapes. These allow water flow to be
carefully controlled, to provide subtle visual impact and sound.
All
designs are original and each fountain is made individually for the
client, so as to interpret his or her ideas. Fountains or other
sculpture can be commissioned for any location, from a pond in a private
garden to a large public space.
His work has been extensively covered in national and international media.
Early
fountain designs were commissioned for show gardens at the Hampton
Court and Chelsea Flower shows and this has continued. Other commissions
built up rapidly in the UK, mainly for private gardens, but also for
public and commercial spaces. His work has been comissioned for
countries in Europe, North America, the Far East and Africa.
He
works mainly in copper, because it can be formed to make delicate and
intricate shapes, which are strong. It can also be heated to produce
warm red/brown oxide colours, which eventually weather to an attractive
grey green patina.
Humphrey
Bowden originally trained as a research scientist at Cambridge and
spent several years designing and developing new products in industry.
He left in 1990 to work for himself. He had always had a strong interest
in painting and sculpture and was excited by the idea of making
fountains in organic shapes, because they have such an affinity with
water.
Fountains have been exhibited in medal winning show
gardens at Chelsea and Hampton Court for a number of years, and there
have been many commissions in the UK and abroad.
Significant Projects: - click here to view these
Large Gunera fountain for Strand Building, Hackney.
Large Ricinus fountain for private garden, Switzerland.
Asplenium fountain for show garden, Hampton Court.
Bamboo fountain for Ambassador's Residence, Ivory Coast.
Passiflora fountain for the Isabel Hospice, Hertfordshire.
Swirling Bowl fountain for show garden, Hampton Court.
Aesculapean Snake Fountain for GlaxoSmithKline.
Farfugium Fountain for the Botanic Garden Singapore.
Lotus Fountain for the Hindu Temple, North London.
NUMEROUS FOUNTAINS FOR PRIVATE GARDENS.
New Fountain Design
The
first new fountain design this year was inspired by the idea of a sheaf
of oats, suggested by an eminent garden designer. I have based the
design on wild oats, because the spikelet heads on each stem have
elegant long ears.
The fountain takes the form of a bound sheaf
of many oat stems with one or more heads curving over. Each spikelet
head emits a fine stream of water from its long ear. The many fine
laminar water streams form an ourwards curving shape, complementing the
shape of the oat sheaf. These streams will show up brightly in
sunlight or lateral illumination.
The first version of this
fountain design to be made is approximately 1.4m high. Initial
photographs show the fountain before it has been installed in water. The
full visual effect and sound will be appreciated when the fountain is
installed in a water setting.
Hampton Court Show
We
are exhibiting again at the Hampton Court Show this year. The layout of
the showground is being modified this year. However we expect our stand
to be in the same position as last year on the North bank of the Long
Water by the Main Pontoon. We will have a number of working fountains on
display, including my latest designs.
Hampton Court is the
largest and, I think, the most enjoyable garden show in the world. For
those who have not been before, it is in the splendid landscaped park of
Hampton Court Palace with plenty of space to see all the show gardens,
plants, marquees and exhibits. It is the ideal place to get ideas and
compare what is available, since the best of every category will be
there. There is enough room to see and talk to each exhibitor and then
picnic on the grass, or eat at one of the many restaurants.
I am happy to advise on suitable settings and water areas for the fountains.
FOUNTAINS CAN ALSO BE VIEWED IN OUR GARDEN BY APPOINTMENT.
Humphrey Bowden,
6 Park Terrace, Tillington, Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 9AE, UK.
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