Featured Artist :: Neil Jones

Born and bred in Western Australia, 59 year old Neil Jones completed his first bust (in the true sense of the word!), in primary school. His Mother made a bra for it and it still stits on the mantelpiece in her Lounge.

Trained in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration, he runs a small wholesale business with his wife, and also administers the accounts for a local Engineering Supplier.

And now...in his own words......I

As a part time sculptor and one that does mainly larger pieces specifically for individual exhibitions, events or people, 2010 was a big year for me. It followed 2009 which saw the installation of my first Public Art Commission for a large, stained glass aluminum and laminated glass panel in a primary school garden area.

Prior to winning my first major award in 2010, the number of exhibitions entered and submissions for other exhibitions which were not successful was significant. The time required to prepare the pieces to enter these events, means that my long suffering wife is a true sculpture widow, part-time judge, and unpaid assistant. Oh…and cleaner - we sculptors are messy people - or at least I am.

I started entering more exhibitions around 2007 as I found it gave me a focus and reason to complete pieces. I already had enough unfinished pieces as I had been completing gifts for friends to celebrate momentous birthday and/or occasions.

I have worked with a number of different media or combination of materials and while I have done and still do some smaller pieces, I am probably more comfortable with larger pieces. I am not a great fan of repetition of pieces or concepts, there are far too many sculptures to do to be constrained by that.

I would probably describe myself as a concept artist. I have sometimes been accused of being too obtuse, to which I would probably reply " To understand some of my stuff you need to use my imagination!" A close friend of mine says she worries about what goes on in my mind. Me, I'm just happy it still works.