Public Sculpture

Hard graft and dedication to his craft has seen Steve reach incredible milestones as a self-taught artist. Steve’s sculptures have been placed prominently in cities all around the country, including major sporting commissions for some of the UK’s most prestigious stadiums.

Steve’s monumental public and private commission unveilings have garnered the attention of the press and media, and his installations feature at high profile locations such as London’s Wembley Stadium, The National Arboretum and London Stock Exchange.

Rugby League Legends

Wembley Stadium

Three years in the making, this sculpture features five all-time greats of the sport in Eric Ashton, Billy Boston, Martin Offiah, Alex Murphy and Gus Risman.

"Having them all part of the statue means that every generation of the sport is celebrated," said Nigel Wood, Chief Executive of the Rugby Football League.

It was commissioned by the charity Rugby League Cares and unveiled on 29th August 2015 by Minister for Sport Tracey Crouch, to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the day that the sport was founded.

Steve worked closely with the families of the five sporting heroes and the Rugby Football League during the design and production of this statue – inviting the living legends and surviving family members to see the wax in his studio. Steve recounts that it was a moving and emotional experience.

Wigan Heritage and Mining Monument

Wigan Town Centre

Steve’s sculpture, prominently situated near Wigan Town Hall, was commissioned to commemorate Wigan borough's mining history. The city was once the capital of the Lancashire coalfield, so the idea was to celebrate the heritage of an industry that once dominated the town.

The project began with the Wigan Heritage and Mining Monument (WHAMM) charity, with support from Wigan Council. Leader of Wigan Council, Councillor David Molyneux, said: “Our borough is very proud of our mining heritage and the statue is a fantastic addition to our town centre.”

The figures in the sculpture are wearing the traditional footwear – wooden clogs with clog irons and, as the statue doesn’t have base or plinth, they appear to be walking on the cobbled street.

“It is an honour to recognise the people who built this country and made it great with this historical piece. We decided with the committee not to have a base or plinth so that they are on the cobbles walking as a proud working-class family would have. We are proud of our English heritage and hope that our representation of this family captures something for everyone who sees it.” – Steve Winterburn

Queens Lancashire Regiment Memorial

National Memorial Arboretum

The memorial, the result of an extraordinary and monumental fund-raising effort, commemorates the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment, and those that served in the fine and proud county regiment.

It became Lancashire’s only county Infantry Regiment and held the record of having the most Battle Honours of any line infantry regiment in the British Army, two of these being Quebec and Waterloo,where predecessors of the Queen’s Lancashires fought with great distinction.

The memorial stands proudly at the foot of the Arboretum’s central Armed Forces Memorial and has a magnificent backdrop. It can be clearly seen from most, if not all, angles of approach.

K.O.Y.L.I Memorial

Elmfield Park Doncaster

“KOYLI was the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry; a regiment of the British Army that fought in many campaigns until 1968. So, the sculpture is really to honour the Yorkshire Regiment ex-military and the men that lost their lives for us. I have a real passion for anything I do military, because we owe them really for the comfortable lives we lead today. It’s an honour for me to honour their sacrifice.” The project spanned roughly two and a half years, and was a very detailed and thorough process, which saw us work closely with the regiment making changes and tweaks down to the finest details making sure we could make it as authentic and accurate as possible. For us as a family business, it was an honour and a privilege to work alongside the regiment whose values are very much based around family. The whole journey leading up to the day of the unveiling was very humbling and emotional. The day itself, being Yorkshire Day, Minden Day and the 50th anniversary of the date that the regiment ended, amounted to a truly moving experience. Over 400 people attended on August 1st 2018 when it was unveiled, including Mayors from Doncaster and the surrounding areas, with BBC and ITV both in attendance for widespread media coverage. The sculpture isn’t about warfare though, it’s about sacrifice and honour, the sculpture deliberately depicting the gun pointed down with his finger off the trigger. During the development of the piece, we invited the regiment’s veteran – all of them in their eighties – to see the processes and the wax. As they approached the statue, touching his boots and looking up at him with respect and honour, we could see how moved there were. It was emotional to witness, and a memory I’ll never forget."

Jim Cronin Memorial

Monkey World

In 1987, the late Jim Cronin founded Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in Dorset with the aim of providing abused chimps a permanent home. Though Jim sadly passed away in 2007 after a short illness, the primate rehabilitation centre remains a refuge for 150 apes of 15 different species, now operated by Jim’s wife Alison. This sculpture depicts the conservationist with one of the first chimps he re-homed, called Charlie. In an interview with the BBC, Alison said: “It is Jim, it’s his face, it’s his expression, it’s everything and such a fitting tribute.” In line with Steve’s unwavering dedication to conservationism, Monkey World remains a pioneering voice calling to end the maltreatment of these endangered species.

Leeds Rhinos

John Holmes Sculpture at Emerald Headingley Stadium

One of the greatest players ever to represent Leeds Rugby League, John Holmes was immortalised in bronze by Steve in 2021. An icon for the team and its supporters, the sculpture now stands proudly at the front of the Tetley South Stand. In an interview, the Chairman of Rhinos’ heritage committee, Phil Caplan, said: “To have the ultimate local – and reluctant – hero looking out over Kirkstall, where he came from, could not be more appropriate, fitting and poignant.”

Billy Boston

Wigan Town Hall

Steve is shown here with rugby league star Billy Boston at the unveiling of his bronze statue in Wigan’s Believe Square in 2016. The Cardiff-born player is one of the top try-scorers in Wigan’s club history and yet, when the BBC asked what Billy thought of the homage, the 82-year-old said: “I don’t know why they’ve done it for me, because Wigan’s had some great players – and I mean great players.” However, when Wigan Warrior’s coach was asked about the tribute, head coach Shaun Wane said the statue was a “just reward for what he’s done for the town of Wigan.”