Provenance & Collecting

I, Philip Lowndes, create handmade works of kinetic art: small sculptural automata in which movement, material, and observed behaviour are brought together in motion.

Designed and made by me in my workshop in Hinxton, near Cambridge, England, each piece combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary studio methods including computer-aided design, CNC machining, and laser cutting where appropriate.

These tools are used in service of precision, refinement, and repeatability, while assembly, final carving, painting, finishing, and final character remain the work of the hand.

My works sit between sculpture, mechanism, and quietly theatrical object. They are intended to be handled, displayed, lived with, and collected.

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The Nature of Handmade Work

Variations in timber grain, surface finish, hand-adjusted movement, and small construction details are considered part of the authenticity and character of handmade work.

While contemporary tools may assist certain stages of production, every piece still requires hand assembly, individual judgment, and final refinement in the workshop.
All parts are made from the raw materials in my workshop.

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Categories of Work

Open Workshop Production

Regular original designs produced in small numbers as workshop time allows.

These works may be revisited over time and are not restricted to a fixed quantity, though they may often be unavailable between making runs.

Each example is individually made and may vary slightly in material or finish. The majority of my work from 2007 to 2026 is in this category.

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Limited Series

A numbered run of a refined design produced in a declared total quantity.

These works are typically made gradually in small hand-built batches rather than all at once.

Availability may therefore vary until the series is complete.

Example marking:

LoveDoves 3/15 · Philip Lowndes·

I do not silently remake completed numbered series.

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Workshop Studio Pieces

One-off works, custom commissions, unusual experiments, and individually developed pieces.

These may explore new mechanisms, forms, scale, or narrative ideas and are often unique.

No duplicate example is necessarily produced.

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Release Method

My work is produced at the slow pace of the workshop in small batches to maintain quality.

Some pieces may be immediately available, while others are made periodically in small runs or to order.

Temporary periods of unavailability are a natural part of this process.

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Later Interpretations

Successful ideas may occasionally return in revised form.

Where this happens, any later version is clearly distinguished by title, date, version number, or stated changes in scale, materials, finish, or mechanism.

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Marking & Documentation

Where practical, works may be discreetly marked with title, series number (where applicable), and year.

Selected pieces will be accompanied by supporting paperwork and collector documentation.

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Care & Longevity

My works are designed and made to be enjoyed, handled with care, and lived with over many years.

As with all handmade objects in natural materials, gentle handling and sensible environmental conditions are recommended.

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Enquiries

For commissions, provenance, or questions regarding a specific piece, please contact me directly.