by Guest Writers Suzie Cheel and Des Walsh
A special local event each September for the past few years has been the Swell Sculpture Festival http://www.swellsculpture.com.au/ . Over ten days, as our southern hemisphere summer is in the wings, we join the throngs of people studying the sculptures all along the shorefront at beautiful Currumbin Beach.
This year, one sculpture which we both thought rather special was Richard Howie’s Wind Totems, made from oxidized recycled mild steel and recycled hardwood. The turning of the timber was absolutely masterful and the balancing of each work superb. The wooden vanes turned slowly, gracefully in the breeze.
We loved the harmony of place, materials, artistic vision and execution. Much simpler than some of the other works on display, illustrating the old expression “art that conceals art”.
It’s easy to find complexity, dissonance and stress in the world today. Works like Wind Totems can encourage us to take the knowledge and skills we have in our businesses and our lives and focus our creative and productive energies in the direction of elegant, harmonious, inspiring simplicity.
The other work that appealed to us and had a fun element was Creation’s Heart by Wendy Johnson & Katrina Kelsey.
What inspires you?
