Dawn Conn is a contemporary sculptor known for her emotive bronze and resin figures that capture the essence of memory, movement and human connection. Her practice centres on the idea that sculpture can hold moments of joy, nostalgia and reflection, inviting viewers to reconnect with the wonder and innocence of lived experience. Her work transforms both indoor and outdoor environments into contemplative spaces filled with presence and story.

Born and raised on a farm in rural New Zealand, Conn’s early life was shaped by nature, open landscapes and the rhythm of everyday life. These formative surroundings seeded the emotional honesty that defines her practice today. Her path into art was not traditional. After many years working in other fields and raising a family, she rediscovered her creative voice during a sculpture retreat, an experience that became a turning point and revealed sculpture as a profound source of purpose and expression.

Conn went on to study art and design, including formal training at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. This period of experimentation and refinement helped her develop a distinctive sculptural language, blending classical understanding with intuitive, flowing forms. Her figures are characterised by expressive posture, textured surfaces and a sense of captured movement. Each work is a narrative held in physical space, inviting viewers to feel rather than analyse.

Her sculptures celebrate themes of childhood, freedom, tenderness and quiet contemplation. Whether a poised diver, a reflective seated figure or a whimsical character in motion, each piece carries an emotional resonance that crosses age and culture. Conn’s work has received recognition both nationally and internationally. She was the only UK sculptor selected for Sculpture by the Sea 2025 in Bondi, Australia, an honour that placed her work on one of the largest public sculpture stages in the world. She has also received multiple gold awards at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and has appeared on BBC1’s Home is Where the Art Is.

Today, Conn’s sculptures are held in collections across New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States and Japan. Her practice continues to grow, guided by a belief that sculpture can remind us of the beauty in simplicity, the softness in memory and the emotional truth found in the human form.