Joanne Risley Sculptor

Joanne Risley working from her Cheshire Studio
Born in Knutsford in 1965, I gained a BA hons degree in Fine Art, specialising in sculpture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, University of Dundee in 1987.  I then gained an MA in Fine Art from The University of Ulster in 1989.

SELECTED PUBLIC SCULPTURE COMMISSIONS

2025 “The St Nazaire Raid Memorial”, A 20 x 11M memorial to commemorate Operation Chariot, commissioned by The St Nazaire Raid Memorial Trust for The National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.

2023 “Poppy Pods” 11 bronze sculptures for Chester Zoo rewilding outreach project.

2022 “Moving Forward Looking Back”, Memorial Sculpture commissioned by The Cheshire Yeomanry for The National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.

2020Three Cor-ten Steel Seed head memorial urns for Birches Remembrance Garden, Lach Dennis, Cheshire.

2016 “Replaying The Brookfield Hydro” ;3.5 m x 1.75 m metal and mosaic screen commissioned by Aldi for their new store in Poynton.

2008 “Genesis” ; Three 1m diameter bronze sculptures commissioned by Belfast HSC Trust for The Knockbreda Community Treatment and Care Centre, Belfast.

2003 “Sunsplash” ; 2m x 1.5m fibreglass & mosaic sculpture commissioned by The Countess of Chester Hospital, Chester.

2002 “Shell Forms” ; Two bronze sculptures commissioned by The Mater Hospital, Belfast.

2001 “The Home of Rugby League” ; 3m high bronze sculpture commissioned by Tesco for Former site of Central Park, Wigan.

2000 “Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal Sculptures” ; Three bronze sculptures commissioned By Newport Borough Council for 3 sites on the canal in and around Newport, South Wales.

1999 “Night & Day” ; two 2m bronze sculptures, commissioned by Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

1998 “Kinetic Blooms” ; bronze, kinetic water feature commissioned by Armagh City & District Council for ‘The Garden of The Senses’, The Bishop’s Palace, Armagh.

1996  “Crocus” ; bronze water feature, Whiteabbey Hospital, Co. Antrim.

SELECTED PRIVATE COMMISSIONS

2021  “Poppy”  Memorial Urn for Poppy’s Parents, Cheshire.

2021  “Winged Seed” Cor-ten Seed memorial urn, for private garden in Cheshire.

 SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2023 “Seeds of Change”, Crewe Hall, Cheshire.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025 Remark, Chester Visual Arts Exhibition, Grosvenor Shopping Centre, Chester.

2024 Open Minds, group exhibition, Handbridge, Chester.

2024 Kingham Lodge Sculpture Exhibition, Kingham Lodge, The Cotswolds.

2024 Re-Store, Chester Visual Arts exhibition, Grosvenor Shopping Centre, Chester.

2024 Kildare Gallery outdoor sculpture exhibition at The Galgorm Spa & Golf resort,

Ballymena.

2024 Fresh Air Sculpture Exhibition, The Cotswolds.

2023 Beaulieu Sculpture Exhibition.

2022 Fresh Air Sculpture Exhibition, The Cotswolds.

2021 Art for Cure

2020 Art for Cure

2020 Manchester Art Fair.

2019 Marks Hall Sculpture Exhibition.

2019 Bloom Pheonix Park, Dublin then Kildare and Cork with The Kildare Gallery.

2019 RWA Sculpture Exhibition, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol.

2018 Burghley Sculpture Exhibition

2018 Doddington Hall Sculpture Exhibition

2018 Mount Pleasant Gardens Sculpture Trail

2018 Charingworth Court Sculpture Exhibition

2017 Manchester Academy of Fine Art, Portico Gallery Manchester

2017 Marks Hall Sculpture Exhibition

2017 “Bloom” Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland

2017 RHS Tatton Flower Show

2017 Mount Pleasant Garden Sculpture Trail.

2017 “Charingworth Court Sculpture Exhibition” The Winds of Change Gallery, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.

2017 “Making A Mark” Foxlowe Art Centre, Leek.

2017 “Interesting But Weird At The Same Time” Touring exhibition throughout Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic of selected works from The Department of Finance and The Office of Public Works.

2016 “To Please A Few”  Cupola Gallery, Sheffield

2016 Broomhill Sculpture Park, Muddiford, North Devon.

2016 “In All Its Glory” Chester Cathedral.

2016 “Sculpture Trail” Mount Pleasant Gardens, Kelsall, Cheshire.

2016 “Saltaire Sculpture Trail” Garden sculpture trail in Saltaire

2016 RHS Tatton Flower Show Sculpture Garden, Tatton Park, Cheshire.

2016 Smallwood Garden and sculpture trail.

2015 “Lustre”  Charles Roe House, Macclesfield, Cheshire.

2014 “Art in The Park” ; Oulton Park, Cheshire.

2014 “20 x 20” ; VAC Gallery, Northwich, Cheshire

2006 “Cheshire Artists”; Old School Gallery, Alvanley, Frodsham.

2003 “Christmas Show” ; Wendy J Levy Contemporary Art, Manchester.

2002 “From Past To Present”; Art from Public Buildings 1815-2001, Dublin.

2002,1996, 1995 “Christmas Show”; The Cavehill Gallery, Belfast.

2002 “New Work”; Two-person show with Barry Callaghan, The Pinfold Gallery, Windermere.

2000 Art Park; Saumarez Manor, Geurnsey.

1999 “Three Sculptors” Cavehill Gallery, Belfast.

1997 “Wales Drawing Bienniale ’97”, Aberystwyth Arts Centre & other venues throughout Wales.

1995 “Early Summer Show”, The Cavehill Gallery, Belfast.

1994 “Small Works”, 3 person show, Brownes Gallery, Dublin.

1992 “Decade Show”, The Francis Dixon Gallery, Dundee.

1991″Doors of The Earth”, Women’s open-air exhibition, Brighton.

1990 “Whitechapel Open Studios Exhibition”, Angel Studios, Islington, London.

1989 “Belfast 9”, Slaughterhouse Gallery, London and The Irish Life Mall, Dublin.

1989 MA Show, Orpheus Building, University of Ulster, Belfast.

1988 WASPS Travelling Show, various venues throughout Scotland.

1987 “Sterling Biennial Exhibition” Sterling.

1987 Royal Scottish Academy.

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Warwick University Sculpture Collection

The Department of Finance for Northern Ireland

The Irish News