Artist Statement

The Victorian Model Workshop, established in 1990, designs and builds bespoke mechanical figures, automatons, stage puppets and animated displays for commercial customers, theatre companies, shop windows, visitor centres and businesses as well as for private collectors.
For almost 35 years our workshop, based at The Ferrers Centre at Staunton Harold in Leicestershire, has been open to the public and visitors can see work being made as well as commissions in progress. We stock a range of mechanical kits to buy - for those of a mechanical disposition - and we also have several working machines and moving displays to try! We have a constantly changing range of work on display, so every time you visit there is something different to see.
Over the years Chris’s mechanical expertise has been featured on several TV shows for the BBC, working on programmes as diverse as ‘Garden Rescue’ and most recently with Sir David Jason on ‘The Touring Toolshed’. The workshop has also designed and built animated figures for places including Blenheim Palace, Harrods, The Beatrix Potter Museum, The MAD Museum, Derby LIVE, Saks - Fifth Avenue (New York) and The Royal Opera House - Covent Garden amongst many others.