Pouring the molten metal
I am fascinated by the energy of movement. It's
exciting to see a speeding car, identifying visual clues as they morph
together. I try to capture the essence of this in my work,
removing all but the essential detail. "Every extra rivet slows it down".
I studied Design at art school in South Africa and went into advertising.My first job
was drawing cars and designing motor sport ads and posters.
Later, in the UK, I
returned to university to study ceramic sculpture at Goldsmiths College,
London.
Before getting married, I practiced as a free-lance designer, and took on
occasional private commissions for motoring art. I then taught Design in
schools, colleges and at university for a number of years.
My family has now grown up and I have returned to my passion, sculpting,
drawing and painting things that move, as well as restoring, driving and
riding them.
I began
casting my aluminium sculpture at home before turning to a traditional
foundry specialising in producing vintage parts for racing engines. Now,
between producing a cylinder head for a rare Delehaye or Auto Union;
a gearbox casing for a P3 Alfa as well as E-type and D type parts, they cast
small batches of my sculptures.
I like to think that it gives them a kind of heritage.
When I started to paint again, I found I had moved on from my traditional, illustrative style. I have begun to develop a minimalist 'stencil' approach; large, flat areas of colour, using as few colours as possible, recalling my time working for a silk screen printer and as a poster artist.
‘Perfection is finally achieved,
Not when there is nothing more to add,
But when there is nothing left to take away’
-Antoine de Saint-Exuperey
My sculptural pieces have no stands or plinths, they must 'move' so they stand on their own. There are no drawn lines to show door shuts or windows, the minimal detail is revealed by light reflecting on the highly polished surface planes giving a sense of speed and dynamism.
I live with my family in East Sussex,
England and when I have time, I enjoy tinkering with my old machines and
occasionally a bit of landscape painting.
I draw constantly in my
attempt to understand things.
I enjoy the occasional pleasure of landscape painting
Trying Hermann Sommersel's Streamliner for size before starting the sculpture.
Preparing a sand mould
After casting, there is a great deal of fettling to be done before the final polishing.
I then produce a master pattern in resin that is used to make the sand mould.