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Jilly Sutton
Jilly with Deodar
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Jilly Sutton
Fragment
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Jilly Sutton
Curlew
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Jilly Sutton
Jilly with Deodar
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Jilly Sutton
Tidal Thinker
Jilly Sutton
You came to sculpting late in life. Was this a sudden decision or something that had lain dormant for a while?
I loved art at school but my parents thought I should get a “proper profession under my belt”! so trained as a nurse in London - but I was always getting into trouble for drawing on night duty and eventually went to college having taught art to children for some time.
Why wood and what are the techniques you favour?
When finances were hard I started with readily available wood from the river - Although not the most durable of materials, I love the warmth, textures and character of the material - even though every piece is a challenge - especially a five foot diameter tree like the ‘Fallen Deodar” - but I also come from a family of tree growers and worked at my father’s nursery in the school holidays .. we live in a wooden house with a wooden sink - wood everywhere...
I like the fact my father did things with young baby trees and I’m doing stuff with them at the other end of their long lives-
I use green wood from foresters - chain saws, angle-grinders, sanders and my favourite chisels...
Where did you train?
Exeter College of Art for a BA in Fine Art [now Plymouth University.]
Does your early life in Nigeria influence your work?
Although the West African wood carving had a strong presence - it was seeing the Benin bronze heads [which date back to the 10th century] that really were so impressive - they are close in feeling to the Buddhist art of India, and have had a huge influence on so many artists. I studied the Indigo dyed textiles there - still the oldest known and most popular dye to man, and taught Indigo dying for some time back in England.
The aluminium relief work by the Olatunde family of Osogbo is also an interesting art form that I admire.
Despite occasionally exhibiting locally, you predominantly sell your work through Rebecca Hossack in London. What effect did exhibiting with a successful London gallery have on your work initially?
One man shows in London are exciting - but the pressure is on! I’ve met such interesting people and things happen - doing TV and films etc spurs you on!
One could say that that the human form is a predominant subject matter for you but have you considered other themes, such as animals for instance?
I have done birds, fish, rabbits, snails, sheep, abstract vertebrae etc - but the human head always holds the most interest for me.
Although your work is often also cast into bronze, you also cast in jesmonite and limestone resin. What are these mediums and what are their advantages?
To me a duplicate cast in anything is not as good as the original material of my beloved wood! But bronze is obviously the most durable, and the new ‘Olive resin’ [made from ground-up hard olive pips] gives an exact likeness to my grainy white-washed wood and is more affordable.
Do you listen to music when you sculpt?
I work outside with noisy angle -grinders and ear protectors, but up in my indoor quiet studio I listen to radio 3 or 4.
Which sculptor continually inspires you?
So many - Mitiraj, Moore, Rosso, Brancusi, Nash, Bazelitz...
What advice would you give to a budding wood sculptor?
Wood is heaped with problems - I like to mainly work with one piece with no joins - but if you can manage the drying out process - splits, shakes, warps, rot, worm, stains, buried nails, allergies, etc, etc - it is wonderful!
Although your work is often available locally, where else can we next see a large body of your work?
March 3rd 2009 - Rebecca Hossack Gallery 2a Conway Street, Fitzroy Square, London W1T 6BA 020 7436 4899
Jilly Sutton’s work may also be viewed at Coombe Gallery 20 Foss St Dartmouth, Andras Kaldor Gallery, Dartmouth & Coombe Farm Gallery, Dittisham and online at www.coombegallery.com
First published August 2008 By the Dart