Artistic Journey

W.A. Lumsden (b. 1977) is an artist and art process researcher based in the UK, whose practice combines full-time studio work with ongoing academic and material research.

Lumsden’s work is shaped by a diverse life trajectory, having been raised in Göteborg (Sweden) and subsequently living and working in cities including London, Granada, Edinburgh, Melbourne, Buenos Aires, and Santo Domingo. His professional engagements have also taken him to locations ranging from San José to Singapore.

Working across sculpture, painting, printmaking, and drawing, Lumsden is interested in the relationship between making and knowing - integrating contemporary theory with hands-on experimentation and historical techniques. The work engages with both ancient and modern processes to better understand how art has evolved, functioned, and flourished across cultures and time.

This cross-disciplinary approach has developed over years of practice and research, shaped by experiences in commercial R&D, technical sculpture environments, and academic collaboration. Lumsden’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and is grounded in a long-term interest in the role that materials and methods play in shaping artistic expression.

Alongside studio practice, Lumsden has contributed to research and education in various settings, including:

• Research paper The British Academy co-authored with Prof. C.C. Mattusch (2021–2025)

• Serving as Production Manager and Head of Education at Bronze Age London (2015–2022)

• Completing a 3-year art materials R&D residency at Daler-Rowney UK (2014)

• Undertaking specialised training in human anatomy, artisanal paint manufacturing and bronze casting in Argentina and the Dominican Republic (2008–2011)

Lumsden’s practice continues to explore how technical skill, material knowledge, and academic research can inform one another in meaningful and generative ways.

Experience