New Bronzes : Alex Kirkpatrick's Nautilus Shell

Curwen Gallery have just accepted the work of a new sculptor, Alex Kirkpatrick, whose beautifully finished bronze shells are causing a lot of interest amongst our visitors.

This sculpture pictured is inspired by a cross section of the nautilus shell, a mollusc of ancient origin which has remained unchanged for 500 million years.

Each shell is first made in clay.

Alex works from a small bronze foundry in Lancashire that he made in his shed. Each aspect of the process, from the initial moulding to the casting and finishing of each sculpture, is completed by Alex himself.

Alex pouring molten bronze into the Nautilus shell mold

Each sculpture is made first in clay, then moulded in silicon to produce the sculpture in wax. The wax shell is then encased in another mould, this time made of heat resistant ceramic.

Grinding and polishing the bronze shell

The wax shell is then burnt out of the ceramic mould, leaving a cavity to pour in the molten bronze. Once the bronze has cooled in the mold it can be broken out and finished with a grinding tool and chemical patination.

The finished "Lightning Nautilus Shell",bronze, 39 x 29 x 12cm, 7.8kg,  £3500

Alex Kirkpatrick's "Lightning Nautilus Shell" will be showing in the Christmas show (4th-23rd December) and his "Biplex Perca" and "Marbled Tun" will be showing in our Macmillan Cancer Support weekend (29th - 30th November).

 http://www.curwengallery.co.uk/gallery/macmillansupport/title.htm .

Lucy Willis: Gardens and Other Paintings

5-26th November 2014

Private View: Tuesday 4th November, 6-8pm

Lucy Willis’ new collection of watercolours are inspired both by her travels abroad as well as places closer to home in England. Beautiful beach scenes and stunning interiors from Greece, houses and rivers from journeys through France and some quintessential English country gardens feature in this exhibition.

Corner of the Kitchen Garden, watercolour, 37 x 56cm, £1950

Willis’ sensitivity to details of architecture or features of a place, along with a wonderful portrayal of light within each location can be seen throughout, and these characteristic features are much admired by followers of her work.

Pine Tree Shadows, 29 x 42cm, £850

Lucy Willis trained at the Ruskin School of Art and since then has travelled widely, taking inspiration from many places to fuel her painting. She has tutored many painting groups in various countries across the world and written two books on the subject of watercolour painting. Exhibitions include numerous solo exhibitions and group exhibitions all across the UK. 

Girl with a Parasol, Lijiang, China, 24 x 36cm, £850

She won the BP Portrait Award for portraits of Shepton Mallet Prison inmates, following her artist residency there. She was elected a member of the Royal West of England Academy in 1993.

For a full online catalogue of the exhibition: http://www.curwengallery.co.uk/gallery/willis14/title.htm 

Gallery Artist Julia Brooker on BBC Wales Challenging EU Pigment Ban

Gallery artist Julia Brooker has been working with paint manufacturer Spectrum to challenge an EU ban on pigments containing the chemical Cadmium. The ban, intended to prevent the chemical entering the watercourse, could potentially cause paints containing cadmium to be banned in the next few years.

Julia Brooker with a recently finished commission for a client in Hong Kong

Many artists, including Julia, say the risk to artists is minimal and that the pigment is essential for producing the paints they use.

Some work in progress in Julia's studio

Julia Brooker will be having a joint show with sculptor Clare Bigger ar Curwen Gallery in February 2015.
Click here for the online catalogue of Julia's 2013 solo show with Curwen Gallery. http://www.curwengallery.co.uk/gallery/brooker13/title.htm