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The Sculpture Gallery Pages

Sculptures and the freedom of expression

"It is when the words fall silent and paintings are not enough to tell a story that I turn to sculpture, for often working in multiple dimensions offers an incredible freedom and a very powerful language. The challenge is the complexity, for now, manipulating paint on a flat surface is replaced by the viewer moving around a piece of artwork, forcing a creative journey that is so much more challenging, but when it works, so much more rewarding".

Noel Ashton, 2022

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Sculptures with stories to tell

"In the silence space of the studio there are some sculptures which offer a deeper reflection and contemplation as to their inspiration and meaning - a journey which is at its core a search to better understand myself as an artist and as a human being, following that lifelong search which we all take to understand who we are and how we fit into this magnificent but mysterious world. These sculptures and their stories invite us into this journey of self discovery".

Noel Ashton, 2022

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Creativity with Purpose -Sculptures and programmes

"It was when I realised that my sculptures could reach out and touch other peoples lives, that they could help us to see the world differently and thereby become a force for good in sharing environmental and social messages that I found a purpose for my work, and a vision for my life. And by being in service of others and the environment, a deep sense of joy.

Noel Ashton, 2022

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Horses in bronze - a timeless elegance

To know the horse as a sculptor is to understand how it holds itself with such elegance and moves with such grace, for only with this anatomical knowledge can the true process of sculpting start. Only then can a balance be achieved between knowledge and expression, and create the space and freedom necessary for the sculptor to seek the hidden horse, the one that speaks to your soul and engages the unknown, for this is where the conversation between the artwork and the viewer really begins.

Visit the Horses in Bronze Gallery to find out more...

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Into the Oceans - Noel's evocative whale and dolphin sculptures

To sit at the edge of the sea in the company of whales is to know a stillness that comes from times of a deeper connection, of a knowing which is difficult to understand, but undeniable in its presence.

 

The many hours that Noel has spent with these gentle giants of the oceans has found expression in his sculptures, bringing the heart of the artist and the accuracy of the scientist into a harmony that transcends both.

 

Editions in bronze and cold casting have become pride of place sculptures in many homes.

Visit the Ocean Sculpture Gallery to find out more...

The Swallow Series

An extract from Noel's Poem, The Wind Poets

When the long darkness of a winter has settled into my soul,

And a last cold wind rattles the strength out of my bones,

It is the sudden quiet twittering of a swallow upon the wing

That lifts my eyes to the sky,

And lightens my burdens of earthbound worry.

 

And now,

Together we shall silently breathe a poem into being.

For this conjurer of spring

Weaves a calligraphy of metaphors out of gentle twists and turns

Awakening a voice made dormant from the shadows

As upon your gentle wings,

You bring the light of a poem.

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The Wildlife Bronzes

"I have walked the way of the baboon, following their tracks high up into the mountains, and then sitting with them, observing from a respectful distance the dynamics of the troop, learning what they eat, how they communicate, and their complex relationship with the earth. And at the end of the day I leave them to their ways, but not before wishing them well, for they have a hard life at the unthinking hand of man..."

Baboon Bronze, Zimbabwe granite base

Wildlife in White

There is an extraordinary grace to seabirds in flight, and this sculpture of a tern seeks to bring this into focus. By excluding any colour Noel also seeks to reduce the image down to the purest form, offering us a clear joy at the marvel and symmetry of these wonderful birds.

Tern in Flight, composite materials on a found wood base.

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The Royal Nguni Collection

My roots in Africa are always awakened when I spend time with the magnificent Nguni cattle and their proud herders, for these cattle are much more than livestock, they are links to the ancestors, wealth, the payment for a bride or protection for tomorrow. As an artist I am also inspired by their complex coloration and the deep symbolism that have been born of generations living so close to the herds. The Royal Nguni Collection is a way to share in this fascinating world…

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