Sanne Bernhart
Art & Bronze-Artist & Designer, inspired by nature
BRONZE ARTIST
Designer inspired by nature
Sanne creates leaves,
vegetables and sculptures in bronze.
Sanne Bernhart
immortalising details from nature
It begins with a closer look. Sanne Bernhart (1972) sees the details others walk past. The intricate veins of a fallen rhubarb leaf, the rugged skin of a pineapple, or the crooked line of a branch from the garden. While nature dictates the form, Sanne chooses the exact moment to freeze it in time.
From the earth to the foundry In her studio in Loenen aan de Vecht, Sanne works through a demanding, physical process. Translating fragile organic matter into molten bronze at 1100°C requires both patience and technical mastery. It is a struggle with fire, plaster, and metal, where the soul of the original must remain intact.
The most personal stage is the patination. Using heat and acids, Sanne manually develops the depth and tone of the bronze. This is where each object finds its character—ranging from deep, dark browns to vivid greens or golden lusters.
“Is it a WOW?” Her standard is simple and direct: “Is it a WOW?” Only when a sculpture triggers that immediate reaction is it truly finished. The results are tactile objects that invite you to touch them. They are heavy and indestructible, yet they retain the softness and life of the nature they came from.
Sanne’s work is a tribute to imperfection. No frills—just the pure form, captured for eternity in bronze.
Everything in nature has one purpose; reproduction.
Sanne Bernhart
Sneek preview video
BIO
The Maker’s Eye
Sanne Bernhart (Amsterdam, 1972) is a keen observer. Whether she was leading a Montessori classroom or coaching clients toward a healthier lifestyle, her focus has always been on the core. The self-reliance she once encouraged in her students is now the driving force in her studio. She doesn’t just work with her mind; she works, above all, with her hands.
From Garden to Metal
Sanne’s work begins outdoors. Where others see a discarded cabbage stalk, she sees a bowl. For her, a fallen autumn leaf is not waste, but a mold for eternity. This fascination with the “architecture of nature” led her to the bronze foundry. It was here that she found the perfect tension between the fragility of a fig leaf and the indestructible strength of bronze.
In her studio in Loenen aan de Vecht and at the Atelier80 foundry, she navigates the entire physical process: sanding, milling, polishing, and patinating. It is a craft of extremes—from the mud of the garden to the molten metal at 1100°C.
Balance in Bronze
Her background in lifestyle coaching and her book ‘Food Fit Focus’ may seem worlds apart from bronze casting, but the source is the same: the search for balance and structure. For Sanne, a bronze sculpture is a “conversation piece” that compels us to pause and notice the details we usually overlook.
“The beauty of nature, captured in bronze. Harmony and structure as jewels to behold. A reflection of the grandeur of the earth, translated into a timeless object.”
Today, Sanne devotes herself entirely to her art. Her work invites you to touch, to cherish, and to rediscover the world every single day.
Martin de Munnik
"I still remember her first piece of work; modest, careful, a bowl because 'art can also have a function'.
And then there is l'Eve, wow. Each leaf handmade. No function other than being beautiful, stunning even."
Martin de Munnik,
Neurensics
Edwin Voûte
her work is sophisticated. Made with such attention and love Edwin Voute Gallery Voute Schiedam
Miryam Obdeijn
Sanne's art is simple and complex at the same time. Simple because they are everyday things, vegetables and fruit, but rendered in bronze with so much detail that only then do you begin to see the complexity. We have a beautiful rhubarb leaf hanging on our wall. Big and heavy, but as it hangs there it seems light and delicate. That is perhaps the special thing about Sanne's art. She shows us, through her eyes, the beautiful details we would otherwise just pass by....
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