Arts and culture

Steve was born in Carlisle and left school at 15. After a number of different jobs, it was a near fatal motorcycle accident that brought him to North Yorkshire.

Much of Steve's work is inspired by nature.

After moving to Harrogate he found work as a barman, and it was whilst working behind the bar that he was encouraged to go to arts school. Steve eventually obtained a degree in Fine Art from Bradford University in 1996. While he was studying Steve became a Christian and is greatly inspired by what he describes as "God's Creation".

In 1999 he became best known for his 'Millennium bugs'. These stunning stainless steel creations were brought to life to tie in with computer fears at the turn of the century. Those bugs led to Steve being given a very special commission, "I'd billed myself as the real 'Millennium bug' sculptor. The BBC found out about it and asked me to make the Blue Peter Ship in my style using stainless steel strips."

The finished ship was given pride of place in the Blue Peter Garden at BBC Television Centre in London. But Steve has had the chance to use his most well-known piece since, "I had it out briefly this year for the Chelsea Flower Show. It has aluminium sails and they were looking a bit worn. So I got it out, repaired it, and unveiled it at Chelsea. Then it was straight back to the Blue Peter Garden."

Steve Blaylock with more of his stunning work

His work has been exhibited across the country including the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, The Blue Door Gallery in London, Newby Hall and Gardens, Henley Artspace and at Harlow Carr Gardens in Harrogate.

This Christmas, two more of Steve's pieces are being installed at Harlow Carr Gardens, including a giant Christmas Angel, "It has a 12-foot wing span and when the angel is on its pedestal it stands around 20-foot high. Unlike the famous Angel of the North, this one is in proportion!"

Steve has also installed a giant stainless steel Mistletoe bush at the gardens, run by the Royal Horticultural Society, "It's good to get people outside and it's good to create something that people can easily recognise. So many people in the art world make stuff that you can't see what it is."