Adam Binder, Biography

Adam grew up on a farm in the picturesque surroundings of The Cotswolds, where he continues to live today. It is a place that he holds dear, as it was growing up in this idyllic environment that awakened his senses to the beauty and wonder of the natural world and has been an inspiration for his art for the last 20 years. Adam was aware from an early age that he had a flair for the arts and was encouraged by his grandfather to develop his talent. Uninterested in academic subjects at school, Adam focused all his energies on art and sports, and when not out on the field playing rugby or cricket, he could always be found in the art department where his teachers and contemporaries nurtured his passion for ceramics with enthusiasm. After gaining top grades in both his Art and Design A Levels at Cirencester Deer Park School in 1989, Adam began a foundation course at Cheltenham Art College where he specialized in sculpture. However, Adam soon became frustrated with his studies as he found he was unable to pursue the avenues of artistic learning that most appealed to him. Unsure of how best to proceed, Adam decided to take a year out with his then girlfriend Lisa, to travel the game reserves of Africa, a place he�d visited as a child and had long harboured desires to return; it turned out to be a life-altering experience. Visiting Africa as a child had been a magical experience for Adam, but visiting again now, as an artist, was a truly inspirational one. Whether camping out in the African bush or residing by the banks of the Zambezi, Adam was provided daily with invaluable exposure to the most majestic and mesmerizing wildlife, which he spent his days studying, sketching and photographing. It was a time of huge importance to Adam�s art, which continues to inform much of the work he does today and it is the unique stimulation that Africa provides that calls Adam and Lisa back for regular return visits whenever their busy schedule allows. On their return home Adam decided not to continue his studies at art college but instead set up his first business following his initial interest of ceramics, practicing and refining his sculpting skills in his spare time. Working in a converted barn adjacent to their home and using equipment purchased from the proceeds of earlier works, Adam and Lisa spent four years running a successful venture producing ceramic kitchen and giftware. However, an old back injury, caused whilst playing rugby at school years earlier, eventually dictated an end to a schedule of six hours a day at a potters� wheel, forcing Adam to consider an alternative medium in which to work. It was whilst attending his niece�s birthday party that year that fate stepped in to guide the way. A guest, who was aware of Adam�s sculpting skills and had connections within the collectibles world, suggested Adam take up a position as a commercial sculptor. Confident that his carving skills were now finely tuned, Adam felt able to accept this new challenge and was snapped up by leading collectibles company, Harmony Kingdom. Adam quickly proved to be a major asset to the company producing many extremely popular pieces, and it was during this time that he created his hugely successful signature series, the �Roly Poly� Range, his first venture into animal sculpture. Adam and Harmony Kingdom parted company at the end of 2001 and since then he has been working on his own creations for Adam Binder Editions. Working for himself again and supported by his now wife, Lisa, Adam was able to develop his own series inspired by his personal loves and observations - and with a strong following already behind him due to his time at Harmony Kingdom, it did not take long for Adam Binder Editions to establish itself; within the year over 40 retailers in both the UK and US were carrying his work. Five years down the line, Adam Binder Editions is established as one of the leading international collectibles companies and Adam is finally in a position to embark on his dream of sculpting more exclusive, wildlife Bronzes that he hopes will appeal to fine art collectors around the world. To coincide with this, his vision is also to use his art to draw awareness to the plights of the world�s endangered species and to develop the charity work he already does raising funds to support the work of international conservation groups. Adam continues to be overwhelmed by the response he gets to his work and feels privileged to be one of the lucky few granted the opportunity to make a living pursuing their passions. He sincerely hopes he will be able to continue bringing both enjoyment and awareness to others through his art for many years to come.