The work at Bo Lee and Workman’s exhibition The Guts and the Glory is a precursor to Ford’s solo show at the gallery in July. It ripples with the tension between reality and illusion, which is part of what drew Alice Workman – a director and co-founder of the gallery and Ford’s champion for The Wick – to the West Sussex based artist, alongside her ability to both attract and repel with her work.

Ford’s playful but finely crafted works encompass drawing, sculpture, painting, performance and set design, and are exhibited in the public realm as well as gallery shows, while being found in museum collections, such as the Tate and the V&A.

Says Workman: “I first became enamoured by Laura Ford’s sculpture when I saw the strange part human, part animal or imaginary figures she creates from fabrics and textiles. These sculptures are precisely composed, with equal attention given to position and posture, and the meticulous construction of clothes and adornments. As you look closer, the seductive nature of these creatures spark feelings of affection, yet we remain slightly uneasy as their motives and intentions are unknown.”

Ford’s sculptures elicit a strong response from onlookers. Workman adds: “I have enjoyed watching audiences respond to Laura’s work over the years; children naively approach her sculptures full of intrigue and fondness and, for adults, they are more emotive, but everyone eventually stands for a while and marvels at these fantastical figures. Ford’s works, whether in a gallery, public space, historic home or parkland setting, have an extraordinary presence that commands our attention.”

The artist mines her own personal history for inspiration, as well as a wide range of influences: “Interactions with people and family, current affairs, novels, podcasts, film and comedy – anything that gives me insight into the lives of others,” she says. “I also draw heavily on my own emotions and reactions to the world around me.”

Her greatest achievement to date is representing Wales at the Venice Biennale in 2005, she adds, alongside having solo exhibitions in extraordinary buildings such as Strawberry Hill House in London and Schaezlerpalais in Augsburg, Germany. This year is set to be a busy one for Ford, whose work will be in group shows at Phillips in London, Gallery Ten in Cardiff and Sculpture in Pilane, Sweden. She also has a small solo show at Margate’s Liminal Gallery in March, before she unveils a brand new body of work at Bo Lee and Workman in July.

For the Bruton gallery, she is drawing on recurring themes and inspirations, including Catholic paraphernalia, travelling fairs, magic shows, animals and the Two Ronnies – a long-standing influence. We’re looking forward to seeing how they manifest in her work.