This evening I went to the exhibition opening of a sculptor friend of mine.
Nic works mostly in steel and loves to entertain and make people smile with his quirky figures and ships that look like they have sailed out of the pages of a children's book.
In the short four years since he arrived from Manchester (UK), he's worked hard and has made quite a name for himself, not just locally in Tauranga, but in other centres too.
Nic Clegg. 'Strangers in a Crowd'
http://redspotgallery.co.nz/
At the excellent Red Spot Gallery in Rotorua, Nic Clegg's delightful quirky crowd of L.S Lowry-like people and his fantasy galleons made a good show, along with selected pieces of other art. My favourite was a figure with a sign*, seemingly to contradict (or perhaps support?) another figure - the orator - with his tract and his soapbox.
L.S Lowry. Market Scene, Northern Town. 1938.
http://www.l-s-lowry.co.uk/
Each of Nic's figures has a story, and all it takes is a little time gazing at each one, for you to 'hear' it.
There's some good art around at the moment.
* 'THE END OF THE WORLD IS NICE'.
Great Art - I love the Lowry references. By the way if you get to Salford some of the best Lowries are not in The Lowry but in Salford Library and Museum... Now to the artist's name! Nick Clegg is our current wimpy deputy prime minister and is also my local MP! I can see why your Nic(k) Clegg escaped to NZ - he has avoided a public stoning.
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought you meant this guy and I wondered when he found the time to commute to New Zealand and sculpt.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought was wrong.
That hardly ever happens.
That's interesting about the Lowry's location YP. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYP and Robert - yes, I think that could be one of the reasons sculptor Nic dropped his 'k'. But, on the upside, it's hard to forget his name. Any advertising is useful :-)
His work does look fun! I especially love the galleon!
ReplyDeleteI do too Jay. He had a number of different ones. They are delightful - they are about 75 cm tall, so quite a statement in the lounge or foyer.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy the whimsy of some of his work and the apparently spontaneous (but probably anything but) nature of some of it too. The skill though is superb.
ReplyDeleteSteel is a tricky stuff to make look spontaneous. Very 'unforgiving'.
ReplyDelete