Stone Lane Gardens 'Natural Elements' Summer Sculpture Exhibition
Saturday, 1 June 2024 at 10:00 - 18:00
‘NATURAL ELEMENTS’ The Summer Sculpture Exhibition at Stone Lane Gardens
1st June to 30th September 2024 10am to 6pm (Thursday to Monday)
Stone Lane Gardens is hosting the exhibition curated by South West Sculptors. There are 58 pieces of work from 31 artists. This is an exciting exhibition with an enormous variety of work by artists from around the South West. There has been an annual exhibition at Stone Lane Gardens since 1992 Co-founder June Ashburner was a painter and local gallerist. She invited the strong local arts community to exhibit their work in the gardens. They produced a diverse exhibition of sculpture and installations. We endeavour to sustain that legacy of diversity with an exhibition illustrating the continuing creativity of emerging artists based in or connected to the South West.
Stone Lane Gardens is a beautifully landscaped RHS Partner Garden with National Collections of Birch and Alder trees. Groves of trees, pools and streams create a magical exhibition setting loved by artists and visitors of all ages.
South West Sculptors are a group of over 60 professional sculptors working and living in the South West Our members come from Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset. We exist to showcase the distinctive talent and creative personality of the region, We pride ourselves on the quality of our members and are dedicated to showcasing the best of Sculpture in the west. So, whether you’re searching for an intimate piece which will bring great beauty to your home or a statement sculpture to stand - monolithic - out of doors, South West Sculptors have the passion and the talent to enable you to realise your vision. Thirty one of our members have come together for this exhibition which is predominantly focused on the work of our outdoor sculptors who have chosen work to complement the natural environment of Stone Lane Gardens with the beautiful Birch and Alder trees as well and ponds and streams. Sculptures are in a variety of mediums from Stone, wood, metal, and glass as well as recycled materials. The artist’s work embraces environmental themes, wildlife, journeys, and celebrations of the beauty of nature in both abstract and representational forms all combining Natural Elements.
Zoe Singleton “I am delighted to be organising and curating this exhibition on behalf of South West Sculptors with Stone lane Gardens it’s such a beautiful setting and the sculptures are a beautiful complement to the gardens, it’s a great partnership. My work always has strong botanical, environmental and lyrical themes so I jumped at the opportunity to exhibit my work and that of South West Sculptors group at Stone Lane gardens. My long-standing passion for geology led me to carving stone. Learning to carve stone felt like a natural way to express myself and the perfect link to between art and geology. My inspiration for garden sculpture usually comes from natural forms and patterns and often from rock itself, I also do a lot of lettering in stone and regularly exhibit with the Lettering Arts Trust. Here at Stone Lane Gardens I have explored our theme of Natural Elements with work focusing on trees and the poetry surrounding them as well as a piece concerning the plight of bees in the world.
Mike Thompson - Mike has recently left the corporate world to concentrate on making his sculptures. The material he uses is entirely made up of recycled vintage hand tools, which he cuts, bends and welds into bird and animal forms. He does not heat the material so not to deform the tool from its beautiful original form, but simply looks for the shape he needs from his vast collection of hand tools and then cuts and fits them together. One avenue that has been particularly popular with his clients and is a real passion for Mike, is using some of his clients tools in the piece, making it truly unique and personal. A number of his recent clients have asked him to make pieces using tools from their father who has sadly passed away, therefore giving the tools a new lease of life and also creating a fitting memorial to that loved one. 'The Otter’ and the Fox to be exhibited at Stone Lane Gardens were created over many hours and are some of the larger pieces Mike has completed.
Lucy d’Auvergne Has studied, filmed, and worked with wild animals throughout her adult life and has a particular feeling for our native UK wildlife. Red foxes in particular feature passion. Lucy comments “Many years ago, while researching Mexican Wolves in the Arizona and New Mexico wilderness areas of the US, I spent time with a wise woman of the Toltec shamanic tradition – who referred to me as ‘Fox’ and bestowed me with the medicine name (sacred name) of Fire Fox. A sacred name speaks to the essence of who we are as an individual, and our journey through this life. I’d always had a particular feeling for our native Red foxes, and being given this special name deepened my fascination. I continue to explore what it is to be ‘fox’ through observation of wild foxes, scientific research, and through sculpture.” “Within my sculpture work, I focus each piece on an individual animal then strive to capture something of their essence in clay and distil what makes them tick as a unique being. This sculpture is of a young male fox who I have had the privilege of watching as he has matured from adolescence to adulthood”
Nicola Rigby - The sculpture 'Impact' is a bee on an oil drum. It's a work about the beauty of nature versus the stark reality of what this world would be without pollinators. “I know the topic, besides being timely, can sound a bit heavy but I'm very inspired by the writings of people like Dave Goulson (a bit of a bee fanatic), Dr George McGavin and George Monbiot. It's heartening to know that something as simple as leaving a patch of lawn unmown can make a real difference to the local insect population. The exhibition at Stone Lane gardens is a great marriage of nature and art, and im very excited to be exhibiting three of my sculptures here” In the same way a picture is worth a thousand words, a sculpture can really speak to its viewer and leave a lasting impression, It's a great genre for communicating and advocating. “Impact” certainly achieves this.
Nicola AxeI - I have carved stone for the last 15 years and still I’m fascinated by the process and possibilities of this ancient material. Much of my work is inspired by nature’s designs like shell and fossil forms which lend themselves to the medium. I am currently developing an abstract landscapes series, while making figurative pieces in Portland stone. Just recently I have relocated to Sea Change Studio 2 at Cockington Court , Torquay, where I now offer stone carving classes.
For South West Sculptors – Zoe Singleton 07951 593599 zoe@zoesingleton.co.uk
For Stone Lane Gardens: Susie Pope sculpture@stonelanegardens.com or Ella Barber info@stonelanegardens.co.uk
Location: Stone Lane Gardens, Stone Farm, Chagford, Devon, TQ13 8JU
Booking required: no
Charge: Adults: £7.00 Students/children: £3.50 for each child over 10 years. (under 11s go free) Family admission: £18.00 (max 2 adults)
Website://stonelanegardens.com/sculpture-exhibition-and-ashburner-prize/