Mandy Long

The youngest of four children, Mandy was born in Devon and grew up by the sea. Her dad was a head teacher of a primary school and her mum was from a generation of women who were primarily mums.

"She (my mother) painted and drew for pleasure, and was really good at making pretty much whatever we kids demanded of her. 25 years on, I found myself doing the same thing with my own children. My love of using my hands to make things definitely comes from her side of the family."

All of Mandy's sculptures are hand crafted, predominantly using clay and glass with the ceramic figures being raku and smoke fired.

"My first introduction to clay came at the age of 7.   I absolutely loved working in this medium; there was, and still is for me, a touch of magic in this process; where the cold, grey, malleable clay turns into a hard ceramic, that can last a thousand years."

The sculptures were initially inspired by football, the raw energy and passion the players, their phenomenal balance and the unrehearsed grace of their movement. More recently, Mandy has turned to rugby and contemporary dance for inspiration, as movement and excitement are key to both.

"I have always been drawn towards figurative art, particularly in sculptural work, as you can approach it from a different angle every time. For me it has always retained a particular freshness and excitement. I love sculpture that makes an immediate impact, from Rodin's towering statue of Balzac to Anthony Gormley's brave figures taking on the sea on Crosby Beach.

The strongest inspiration for my work however comes from 'The Beautiful Game' – football. Football in essence, is a fantastic celebration of the human form and all its possibilities. These sportsmen are blessed with extraordinary athleticism and balance; they push their bodies to the limit. In my work I try and capture some of that energy, spontaneity and wonderful movement which in reality is here and gone in a flash."