Sculptor Jon Voss, spent 17 years working as an architect in England, Australia and France but a personal epiphany lead him to pursue his passion for art and, specifically, the creation of light sculptures that blend industrial precision with the organic elegance of nature.
He’s now been a full-time artist for 11 years and, working from a large, 2,000 m² industrial workshop, he delivers bespoke commissions often for public installations that allow him to combine his engineering mindset with artistic expression.
His sculptures, that capture a natural motion frozen time, are often comprised of over 600 individually cut components each of which must be perfect and precise to create the illusion of movement.
This is where ADS Laser Cutting comes in!
Having been commissioned to deliver a pair of illuminated swans as part of the Amsterdam Light Festival, 2025, Jon was faced with an incredibly tight timeframe in which to design, fabricate, cut and assemble the work. The need for a reliable, flexible and responsive partner was essential.
ADS had worked with Jon previously, and thanks to its commitment to keeping in touch with its previous clients, a well-timed email meant that we were front of mind when Jon needed to appoint a team to laser cut the countless components that would eventually become these stunning swans.
Jon uses architectural software that’s not built for the fluid, organic surfaces he now sculpts. Exporting his designs fabrication formats can cause smooth curves to fracture and with hundreds of unique parts in a single sculpture, missing or distorted lines could so easily be overlooked.
Simply, past suppliers had struggled.
With just seven weeks to manage the build process, often working 14 hours a day, Jon didn’t have the luxury of a prototype stage; the first production run was the artwork. In this situation, precision was not a luxury but a necessity and we rose to the challenge.
He needed a supplier who could deliver high-quality stainless-steel components, respond quickly, solve problems collaboratively and who, crucially, provided direct communication with the people actively involved in delivering the work.
Being in France, a French or continental Europe based supplier may have been an ‘easier’ option but the reality that Jon had previously experienced was that they were often slow to respond, hard to contact and offered an inferior product.
He explains:
“Whilst art and creativity sit at the heart of what I do, it would be impossible without strong communication.
“Simply, ADS Laser provides direct access to technical staff, responds quickly to email enquiries and I know I can pick up the phone and speak with them.”
Crucially, Jon also noted a nuance of working with a UK-based supplier like ADS Laser Cutting. 0.7mm polished stainless steel is not routinely offered in the French market but that was not an issue for ADS Laser.
“As an artist, the ability to bend the metal components by hand during assembly is vital. Utilising 0.7mm stainless steel makes a significant difference in this respect and ADS Laser could supply it without a problem.
“They also take a proactive approach to diagnosing any issues and resolving these quickly – points that prove particularly valuable when dealing with such tight timelines.”
The result? A partnership built not only on technical capability, but on trust, problem-solving, and shared commitment to quality. Importantly, Jon wouldn’t hesitate to ask us to quote for future work and we’d of course be delighted to partner with him on his intricate sculptures again.
