Marble Marvels

April 14th, 2016

Residents may have been hearing some loud industrial noises floating over Hahndorf this week as the artists of the 2016 Adelaide Hills International Sculpture Symposium (AHISS) began carving out their creations for the final round of the project.

This will mark the final year of the AHISS, with the focus now shifting to the completion of the Sculpture Trail which will eventually wind its way throughout the Adelaide Hills.

Over the next couple of weeks 10 international sculptors will be working furiously at The Cedars in Hahndorf to complete the next set of stone sculptures.

One of those artists is Simon Thomas from Cornwall, England. Simon is working to sculpt a piece for Sunter Street in Strathalbyn as commissioned by local residents and the Alexandrina Council out of Paris Creek Marble.

“When I was in Strathalbyn I received quite a bit of information about what might be relevant to the town,” Simon said.

“One word that I thought was ‘water’. I am an abstract sculptor and Strathalbyn is a rich area with a lot to do with flow. After being here for a day or two however, I realised how much fire is also a very important issue. Seeing some of the fire damage I thought it would be right to incorporate that as well.

“Strathalbyn also seems to be a town with two sides and the idea of a bridge also came up so I am hoping to form a bridging of elements through fire and water.”

Simon started sculpting in 1979 after leaving school and works with a range of different materials. He also teaches masterclasses in maths and science with a link to his art, putting him in good stead to take the multiple public workshops planned for the artists over the next two weeks.

“Everyone here has been really kind and really interested,” Simon said.

“The whole thing is very well organised, the people are great and no one has even pulled my leg about being a pom!”

Across the yard working on another piece is Italian artist Francesco Panceri. He is working with marble sourced from Angaston to create a sculpture that will eventually sit on the corner of Onkaparinga Valley and Nairne Roads in Woodside.

“I normally work with dramatic forms and try to look for balance,” Francesco said.

“I think balance is the main make up of human life and I try to uncover this part of human sensibility.

“The dramatic form represents the strongest parts of life, and every person has something inside that is strong. With solid sculpture you can see that metaphorically.”

Francesco started sculpting in 2000 when he attended a High School in Italy specialising in fine arts. He went on to attend university at the Academy of Fine Arts in Milan before finally finishing his studies and setting up his own studio.

With only two weeks left to complete his masterpiece, Francesco says despite the hard work he is enjoying his time at The Cedars and meeting the visitors who come to see him work.

“It’s nice to work in front of people and for them to come face to face with us crazy people who work very hard around a lot of noise,” Francesco said.

“It’s very interesting to talk with the people when we have the opportunity to sit with them. It’s important to explain some things and understand the emotion of the audience.

“This is a fantastic place to be working, we have a very good landscape in front of us and the group is fantastic. I am very happy to be here.”

The Cedars will be open to visitors until April 25, with many opportunities to meet the artists working to complete the sculptures.

There will also be one final workshop held this weekend on Saturday, April 16 between 10am-3pm which is open to any members of the public who wish to learn more about the art of sculpting.

To find out more about the artists that are making the AHISS possible, visit http://www.facebook.com/AdelaideHillsInternationalSculptureSymposium or call 8339 7071.



  Back