Emotional ties: Sculptor Beth Cullen Kerridge

Sculptor Beth Cullen Kerridge

I’ve always worn hats – I don’t feel quite right without one. They finish off any outfit and always reflect my mood.

This toy car was a gift when my son Acey was born just before Christmas in 2015. There are pros and cons to being an older mum, but I wasn’t going to miss out. He brings my husband Tom [Kerridge, the top chef] and me such immense joy and makes us laugh, all the time.

Our french bulldog Inky [on left] and boxer Sponge force me to live in the moment by taking them out for walks and enjoying the change in seasons. They stop me from being too self-absorbed.

Left: Tom and I have a wall of framed restaurant receipts and menus from important moments in our lives. Going out to dinner is our way of having time to talk, just the two of us. It’s also when new ventures are born – such as this receipt from The Trouble House in Tetbury. It inspired us to open The Hand and Flowers in Marlow in 2005 [the only UK pub with two Michelin stars]. Right: This is my sculpture Boardroom Sacrifice, from my Suits series, which now stands in our garden. It sums up my reaction to dealing with ‘the money men’ as we worked hard to make the pub a success. During that time in my life, I wanted to create something that made people stop and think.

Left: This photograph was a gift from Tom about ten years ago. It takes me back to our early days of living in London, meeting him after he had finished work and walking through the city when it was quiet. Right: Tom gave me this piece of meteorite after a show I did at West Contemporary art gallery, just before Acey was born. I had it mounted on to a ring, as if it has smashed into a city (the support tendrils are like skyscrapers). It’s a constant reminder of how proud Tom is of me.

I asked Tom to marry me six weeks after we met in 2000. He said yes before I had finished the sentence. We share the same ambition for life.