My story
Connection, the word that sustains everything
Given my sensitivity, it has become a way to find strength and balance. It does not feel like a choice, but rather like something that simply seeks to manifest through me. From that place of stillness, I begin my quest for essence, continuing until a form—through its lines and proportions—becomes self-sustaining, and qualities of peace, strength, and harmony become both visible and palpable. I increasingly realise that my central theme is connection. This began in a very physical sense—working with earth and materials, creating sculptures literally anchored to the ground. Now, however, it is shifting toward something more expansive, something more universal. In my work One, I express the merging of the dualistic world we inhabit into a sense of oneness—resting in the quiet centre of being. It is like a gateway where something opens up: a connection to something greater than ourselves, to the Source, and to the flow of all things.
For me, sculpting is soul work. Distilling form down to its essence. It is my passion.
Through meditation and stillness, forms and images emerge. That is usually the beginning of something new. I often discover the true meaning only afterwards.
Ann Deman’s inspiration space
My studio, my space
I live and work in Tiegem, in a studio where nature's presence is palpable. Light and greenery are part of my daily life, surrounding the work that breathes along with me in that same space. In this setting, 'The 3' came into being. It is also the place where I display my work—the very place where it was created and first took shape.
Each sculpture begins small, as a sketch in clay or plastiline. From there, I explore the form further, sometimes using watercolour as well. Only when that initial form convinces me do I scale it up to its final dimensions. Next comes the mould-making process, and only at the very end does the actual casting take place—usually in bronze.
It is a slow process, involving many steps between the initial idea and the finished sculpture. That very slowness gives me the chance to sense, time and again, whether it feels right. I continue until I feel that harmony between what the form reveals and what seeks to be felt.
Biography
Ann Deman was born on May 12, 1969, in Menen, where she also attended secondary school. She subsequently earned a Master’s degree in Applied Economic Sciences (1994 – KU Leuven).
After working in the corporate sector for a time, she followed her calling and pursued training in Visual Arts (Kortrijk Art Academy), Painting (Ghent Art Academy), and Artistic & Dynamic Coaching (De Kleine Tiki – Breda).
Ann is a mother of four, lives in Tiegem (Belgium), and has her studio within walking distance.
What comes in, takes shape. And what takes shape, searches connection.
What I hope you take away with you
In my sculptures, I seek a clear form—a precise balance between tension and stillness. I work meticulously on proportion, material, and finish, because I believe that form possesses an inherent power. When a sculpture stands in a space, I want it to deepen that place—not through explanation, but through a concentrated presence—causing you to see things differently.
