P.Wharton

 
 “...Much of what I’m charged to create is layered far deeper than just a form. More-so, a presence.  And at times, that presence can be as vast. Then I wonder how such a simple form or gesture can hold what has moved me to create it. Forming heartfelt sincerity in such a simple gesture can be a real taskmaster.”

Living Water

Living Water is a reworked (left) wing section from an earlier piece entitled Hope’s Last Call. 

Given the purpose of this piece I couldn’t help being very mindful of all the students in lockdown (2020) planning their future. And that of the student who will be receiving this piece. Who and where are they now during lockdown?

Similar to an earlier piece entitled Phoenix, this piece also took on that perspective. A perspective of getting back up stronger than you went down. And The Samaritan woman at the well is to thank for the title.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaritan_woman_at_the_well

Dr Gavin Hopps is Senior Lecturer in Literature and Theology, and Director of ITIA.

Living Water    ‘Its beauty -- in both iterations -- robs me of speech. As with so much of your work, its delicate and elegantly flowing forms have an understated suggestiveness that is all the more powerful for their referential reserve. I absolutely love it.’

Living water.

Medium/solid Sheffield pewter

Approximately/W9cm/H19cm/D9cm

Weight/1.194kg

Living water/prototype

Medium/white fibreglass paste

Approximately/W9cm/H19cm/D18.5

Weight/261 grams

In private collection.

The last day of winter. Menrfa. 2020

Apex.
The keystone plaque of Menrfa bears the leafless branch of winter. And marks the last day of winter. The point at which light breaks through and we who are here gather up our loss and reach forward.

Medium/polished Portland cement.

Approximately/W25cm/H38cm/D15cm

On Reflection. Menrfa.

For some time now I have been taken by a character I happened upon (via YouTube ramblings) named Menrfa.  By all accounts, the Etruscan Goddess of wisdom and the arts.

Every Shadow and angle of her serenity is so deeply layered, and perhaps reflective. This  was something  I'd neither planned or worked upon.  It just happened. She has been a real lady throughout this  process of discovery.

So taken by her,  I decided to make three, and by incidental arrangement they took on a dialogue between themselves. And it’s this exact arrangement in the piece entitled On Reflection. Menrfa. 

Like myself in the artwork (2020/1) Hope’s Last Call, On Reflection, Menrfa also reflects back on the narrow perspectives of her younger self in relation to the vast, well-lived-in ones she now inhabits. An internal dialogue seemingly poles apart. And explores the arts to convey those perspectives.  The experience of wisdom. 

Throughout my life I have gathered many experiences of wisdom. The internet is full of them.  But these snippets of wisdom are now in danger of becoming junk food. An effortless quick fix to get us through. We gorge on them and become obese with cliche. And we learn nothing of our place in the world beyond our wants.  

To better understand yourself through the world, confront your place in the world beyond that of your wants.  The universe is as vast inwardly thinking. So expand within.  Express through the arts. And be kind. 

Medium/Fibreglass/plywood.

Approximately/W56cm/H27cm/D21cm

A Past life

Menrfa.

As the three busts of Menrfa became one piece. So I set out to make another. Menrfa, in polished cement. And liked this so much I set about the larger piece entitled, The last day of winter. 

Medium/polished Portland cement.

Hope's Last Call/2020

Click here 2020/1 to continue