Books

Artist Comments On The Book

The ability to sculpt is a great blessing. Like any other gift we have a responsibility to develop our potential and find our unique voice. Nelson Mandela said that “our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us: it is in everyone”.  I am happiest when sculpting. I love being lost meditatively in the small hours of the morning. That is when I feel the contentment of being my true self.

My approach is intuitive rather than mathematical. My response technically or stylistically depends upon many factors as mundane as the texture or consistency of the clay, the cooperation of the subject and my focus or energy. The magic moment is when the work comes alive and hopefully one achieves a ‘likeness’.

I also enjoy the privilege to sculpt the human body, which Rodin believed was the basis of all sculpture. Shakespeare in Hamlet   said “What a piece of work is man,” (and woman!). The body is endlessly fascinating in its diversity and is capable of expressing the full range of emotions. In addressing the physical I use my imagination to access the spiritual. The challenge is to make the visible represent the invisible.

Editor’s Comments On The Book

It has been a labour of love editing our book. Initially, I suggested the work would be a good “memorial” of his entire life’s endeavour. But Uncle was not so sure; especially with the word memorial which he thought was rather morbid! Once I reassured him that this is the first of other volumes to come, he became more relaxed about the project. As such, we have approached this project, Vol. 1, as a virtual exhibition of his masterpieces, albeit without the hassle of shipping, straining our backs through heavy lifting and packing, or for that matter having to deal with the emotions of rejection.

Uncle Gerry has the knack of making me feel that I made all the decisions and selections in this great collection which we are about to share with you. I guess I just have to play along! But it will be disingenuous of me not to make it clear that in actual fact we have both lent the collection some of our favourite quotations; thereby adding a sharper dimension to the work. Having said that, I had insisted upon including some of his paintings on account of the sheer breath-taking energy I derived from looking at them. I believe sculptures and the paintings are two sides of the same coin.

Honestly, I cannot wait to start Vol.2.But knowing Uncle Gerry as I do, I will have to bid my time for the right moment to broach the subject!! I hope that you derive a lot of pleasure from our book as much as we did compiling it.