For many of us I guess it is our extra-curricular activities which provide the stimulation and energy in our lives and the day job is simply a means to an end. And this, I suspect, is particularly true of most artists. Just occasionally though, such in the case of the sculptor Tony Cragg, it is the day job which has inspired their artistic creativity and vision. Tony apparently began life as a lab technician in the rubber industry, and even now 50 years later you get a strong sense of moulds and wobbling rubber in his work.faces in sculpture

Tony is now a renowned sculptor, and his day job is sculpting. Earlier this year we were lucky enough to stumble across the largest exhibition of his work in the UK. The exhibition was at the wonderful Yorkshire Sculpture Park as part of their 40th anniversary celebrations. We didn’t know it was on at the time, I was just keen to return to YSP as I had not been for over 20years and MrB had never been.

Tony has been creating for more than 5 decades but this was the first time I had ever heard of him let alone enjoyed his extraordinary sculptures. Must admit my favourites were all inside the Underground Gallery, there was just something about how they filled a room. However the ones outside were also extraordinary, and at least you could get up much closer outside!

Unfortunately Tony’s exhibition in the Underground Gallery has now closed but there is still plenty to see at YSP as Jude and Jo can testify from their visits this year and also last! Do visit their blogs if you have never been to the park. And I will share my Tony Cragg selection from the Underground Gallery later this week but if you cannot wait until my next post take a look at Tony’s website.

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Tony Cragg in his studio

20 thoughts

  2. Pingback: The hardest thing was not touching! | The life of a 40 something

  4. I can’t name more than a couple of sculptors and yet there is some fabulous stuff out there. Thanks for sharing Becky. I’m on very limited Wifi access till the neighbours get back and really enjoying the break. Love to all xxx

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      1. A 12 km warm one in the hills nearly finished us off! In Loule today cos it’s cloudy. Climbed up to Mae Sobrana. In our favourite Internet cafe now. All ok with you? I’m cat sitting later so I’ll be able to check in with yours xx

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      2. Yikes that sounds tough, maybe a good thing we are not coming out just yet!
        We well apart from the thick cloud cover . . . . we need a cat sitter from January if we are to come out, half thinking about bringing him!

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  6. I didn’t make it indoors so look forward to seeing what you found there. And thanks for the link. I also revisited Jo’s post, some interesting sculptures then. It must be very nice to live close to this park.

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  7. I have never been to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park either, but I seem to read about it all the time now, so I guess everybody else has. Now I really, really want to go!

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    1. Spot on!! Apparently he begins with sketches of faces and then distorts them to create the shapes for the sculptures

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