About

Francis Underwater behind his stall at a UK makers Market and an image of a large hand sculpted clay bust

Hi! My name is Francis Underwater, a sculptor and artist based in Leicestershire, UK.

My practice centres on figurative sculpture, driven by a lifelong obsession with people and faces. I originally studied Film Production at university, specialising in screenwriting, and although my transition to sculpture may seem unusual to some, it has always felt entirely natural to me. My work has always been about characters; only now, instead of writing them on paper, I sculpt them in clay.

I sculpt every day from my small garden studio. I have no fixed idea of what the sculpture will look like - whether they’ll be male or female, young or old, bearded, bald, bizarre or beautiful. Apart from commissions, I rarely work from reference photos; I simply begin sculpting and allow the face to reveal itself. My fascination lies in bringing imagined figures into the world; characters with their own internal worlds, emotions, narratives, and identities.

I hope you enjoy my work, and please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or enquiries.

Francis x