Perreault Magazine - 68 -
BP: Your Trio of Lions demonstrate a ‘vigilant eye’ as well as the ‘importance of water’.
Do you create with a specific goal in mind - with a personal message of evocation and inspiration? (Ex: Freedom, Fragility)
My creation process is a little more organic, starting with an observation. I observe, take film, photograph and assemble a wide range of reference material, always on the look out for an image that I feel I can connect with. I know instinctively that if that connection exists and the image or pose speaks to me at that point, then my sculpture, if executed properly, will speak to the onlooker. With the bronze 'A Trio of Lions', I had seen plenty of footage of African lions at drinking holes and marvelled at the power suggested by the eyes, forever looking ahead, on constant alert, engaging in their surroundings at all times. Lions are a popular subject in art and particularly sculpture, and I did not want to recreate some of the more traditional, often sedentary and majestic poses that have been depicted in other works.
What I wanted, was a sculpture that suggested both power and vulnerability, a piece that was both striking and ever so slightly unnerving. That conveyed both a stillness and yet the feeling of constrained energy. I had been impressed, by a child, at the eyes of Da Vinci’s famous painting of Mona Lisa which appeared to follow you around the room and I had long wanted to see if I could recreate a similar effect with a bronze sculpture - this was my perfect subject matter. As the piece progressed I realised that it was important to me that the lion heads appeared to be almost ‘floating', supported by their tongues (technically quite a challenge with the weight of the bronze) - particularly relevant since this too is a species currently hanging, tragically, in the balance. When it came to the water, I had indeed initially intended naming this sculpture ‘The Last Drop’ but I did not want the observer to focus on this singular issue alone, so I resisted. I think for any artist it is important to leave certain things unsaid, questions unanswered, since I feel art should encourage thought and debate rather than dictate. I hope that the finished piece communicates on a wide range of levels and it has certainly caused a stir at each exhibition it has appeared in!
BP: As a conservationist, what is the message you would like to share with our readers?