Metalwork and gates were definitely an aspect of the Arts and Crafts tradition, and that was very much on my mind. I also thought about Mackintosh and his buildings in Glasgow.

Are you an expert in bees?

I’ve worked in ceramics for 20 years, and primarily with birds, sea life and bees for the last five years. I became interested in the incredible complexity of hives, the detail of the work bees do and the exactness. I took it upon myself to recreate these hives in ceramic, and that became a three- or four-year project.

What was it like switching to bronze?

I never worked in metal before, so I found this great foundry in Astoria, Queens, in the stables of the Steinway estate: the Modern Art Foundry. It was founded in the 1930s, and they did Louise Bourgeois’s casting. I set about learning to work in bronze, which is learning to work in wax. I did the wax sculpture for the project, and the foundry did the casting and the finishing.

What are the bees doing on your gates?

Just bustling around. You don’t see if they’re collecting honey or tending to the larvae, or to the baby bees. It’s just more general activity.