James Doran-Webb is a British artist currently based in the Philippines. James, whose parents are antique dealers, spent much of his childhood travelling; living in countless cities as his parents pursued antiques and artworks. Additionally, much of his childhood was spent in the workshops of his parents’ antiques restoration company. This unique upbringing ignited his passion for art as well as whittling, carving and refinishing.

James has said his extensive experience with antiques and restoration has allowed him to see ‘potential’ in what others might classify as waste or discarded material. The use of such materials is a recurring theme in James’ work, with much of his time spent finding the ‘right pieces’ for his amazing sculptures.

James made his first foray into animal sculptures 25 years ago with papier mâché. He puts great effort into conveying movement and bringing the inanimate to life. For the last 20 years James has been collecting pieces of driftwood and has now amassed a substantial collection that he forages through at his studio.

While the focus below is on James’ driftwood horse sculptures. You can find many different animal sculptures on his website: jamesdoranwebb.com

If you want to learn more about the building process and what inspires each artwork, be sure to watch the in-depth video interview at the end of the post.

[via Bored Panda]