By Luke Voogt
Geelong Sculptors will create ‘Wonderland’ inspired by the city’s new library precinct at Deakin’s waterfront campus next Friday.
“We wanted our sculptures to be inspired by the imagination and wonder of books,” said the group’s secretary Cinnamon Stephens.
The sculptors will display everything from plays on the word ‘wonderland’ to sculptures of Alice from Lewis Carroll’s classic, Mrs Stephens said.
“We tell our members to be as literal or as lateral as they want – the theme is just a starting point.”
More than 30 sculptors from Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast and the Golden Plains will display roughly 50 artworks at the exhibit.
“Most of the pieces are for sale,” Mrs Stephens said. “A lot of us are professional sculptors and we normally sell quite a bit.”
The 46-year-old mother-of-two has been an avid metal worker her whole working life. She discovered the art studying sculpture at Ballarat University in the early 90s.
“I fell in love with welding very early on – mainly because of the challenge of it and because not very many women did it back then,” she said.
“I’ve been living off my art since. I love the fact that metal is so durable. You can create something that’s organic with beautiful flowing lines but is still strong and practical.”
“And I love the alchemy of it. Watching different metals fuse together, it’s a very primitive and ancient art.”
For this year’s exhibit, Mrs Stephens created a mirror framed by hearts, aptly titled the ‘Queen of Hearts’.
The long-time metalworker has found her art lends itself to a very practical niche,
“There was a year where every second commission I got was a security door,” she said.
“The doors available are not very creative.”
“I get the door made by a security door company in Geelong. I add the individual touch and then the security door company install it.”
Mrs Stephens is working on a security window for a Tasmanian client.
“I’m doing four screens that all depict native flora and fauna,” she said.
Mrs Stephens urged locals to come to the group’s 14th exhibit to support local artists, like Ocean Grove ceramic sculptor Dani Salvo.
“She’s got an amazing style,” she said
“The fanciful characters she comes up with are really striking and quite large for ceramics.”
For more visit www.facebook.com/geelongsculptorsinc she said.
