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Timber, cast iron, stainless steel, marine rope
Variable sizes
Acquired 2014
A series of hand-crafted forms arranged across the landscape, Stepping Stones, Stumbling Blocks anchors itself visually through natural timbers, cast iron weight and taut marine rope.
Each element sits low in the environment, encouraging visitors to discover the work gradually as they follow the contours of the land.
The sculpture provides a textural contrast against the open lawns and vineyard rows, inviting a quiet moment of pause and reflection as people move through the space.
“There are stumbling blocks in my path. I can't ignore them. However there are stepping stones that can be used to navigate the path to success. The abundance of these stepping stones is only limited by my imagination and determination. Tenacity always triumphs over complacency.” Ben Carroll
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Ben Carroll
Ben Carroll is an Australian artist and designer whose practice spans sculpture, furniture, object making and public installations.
Working primarily with timber, iron and industrial materials, his work explores endurance, effort and the physicality of making. He is known for creating strong, elemental forms that feel both handcrafted and purposeful in their environments.
Carroll’s practice is grounded in material honesty and traditional craft. His sculptures often incorporate robust materials such as cast iron, hardwood and rope, arranged in rhythms that reference labour, repetition and the process of building.
Themes of resilience, progress and determination recur throughout his work, often expressed through modular structures or objects that suggest pathways, tools or markers of human effort.
His pieces sit comfortably at the intersection of contemporary sculpture and utilitarian design, drawing from both disciplines to create work that is tactile, grounded and quietly narrative.
SELECTED CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Founder of Studio Ben Carroll, producing sculpture, furniture and bespoke commissions for public and private clients.
Exhibited across Australia in design and sculpture forums, including boutique craft, woodworking and contemporary object exhibitions.
Known for applying traditional joinery and fabrication techniques to contemporary sculptural forms.
Creator of multiple public works with a focus on material endurance and environmental integration
CARROLL AT MONTALTO
Stepping Stones, Stumbling Blocks was created and acquired in 2014 and remains one of Carroll’s most personal works.
The sculpture reflects his ongoing interest in perseverance and the navigation of obstacles, themes central to his broader practice.
Installed on the open lawns overlooking the vineyard, the work interacts subtly with the rise and fall of the landscape, encouraging visitors to encounter each element in sequence.
The piece sits harmoniously within Montalto’s sculpture collection, offering a grounded counterpoint to the surrounding vertical and figurative works.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Website: http://madebyben.com.au
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madebyben/
