John Brown - Sculptor

John Brown's studio and gallery sits just east of Barnet, a working space where you can actually watch this sculptor at work rather than just gawk at finished pieces behind velvet ropes. The man himself is often there, which changes the whole experience - you're getting the real story of how bronze gets cast and stone gets shaped, not some sanitised version written by a committee.

It's worth visiting if you've got genuine interest in sculpture or if you're the sort who likes seeing the mess and the process. Casual visitors might find themselves a bit lost after twenty minutes, if I'm honest. There's no gift shop, no café, none of that. What you get is direct access to an artist's practice, which some people find brilliant and others find a bit sparse.

The work itself ranges across commissions and personal pieces - the scale varies wildly, so you'll see everything from small bronze studies to larger installations. Brown's approach is fairly contemporary without being wilfully obscure, which is refreshing.

If you're staying at The Mimms Caravan Park just down the road, it makes a sensible half-day outing, especially if you combine it with exploring Barnet's high street or heading further into Hertfordshire's green spaces. Call ahead before you visit - the studio operates on a fairly relaxed schedule, and it's the sort of place where a heads-up matters. Free entry, as far as I can tell.