Ascension - Living in the Moment

In 1982 I emigrated to Toronto, Canada from Sutton Coldfield, England, and to celebrate my 30th Anniversary living in Canada, I am planning a retrospective exhibition of my crystal art for later in the year in Toronto. (exhibition details to follow)

Over the coming months I will be showcasing some of the varied art pieces I have created during that time, including silver and gold objet d'art and crystal art pieces. So much of my career was initially inspired from my early training with Ronald Pennell at the Birmingham Art and Design Institute in Birmingham, England. Ronald considered by many as one of Britain's finest designer artists, helped me see beauty with an artists eye and would like to think that over the past 30 years that I responded to his guidance through the work I have created. Thank you Ronald.

The sculpture on view is entitled "Ascension" the fourth sculpture in a series of five surrealistic pieces focused on issues relating to change and new beginnings. Subconsciously these five sculptures I created all included hand engraved images of staircases, windows, ladders, roads, pathways and doorways in some form or another, and it was only later when this was pointed out to me by a client that I realized each of these elements represented a form or mode of transition from one place to another.

When we are young we never think of being old, when we are parents we are often too busy or capable of living in the moment, and when we are old and may have attained some degree of wisdom it can all be too late.

The five artworks from this surrealistic series of "dreamscapes" were a cathartic journey for me at the time in understanding my past and looking towards the future. I had forgot how influential they were to me at the time, (I made them 20 years ago) but they remind me that kindness, generosity of spirit and trying to live in the moment are the greatest gifts we can give ourselves in life.