Current Exhibition
Barbara Franc in 'The Curator's Egg'
March 30 - June 9 . 2010 . Artist's talk and Master Class available
Three new little birds for sale by Barbara Franc.£130, £120, £120 respectively.
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Barbara will be showing more than 70 of her fantastical birds in 'The Curators Egg' show.
Statement
‘’I have always been fascinated by the shapes and sculptural forms of animals, they present a never-ending source of inspiration to me. I try to capture a feeling of their movement and life-force in my sculpture. For this I use wire in a way that suggests drawing in three dimensions which allows me greater freedom to add changes whenever I want during the construction to keep the feeling fluid and to reflect the diversity of movement and form.
I really just enjoy playing with ‘stuff’ and seeing what I can transform it into, especially if it is a discarded material that I can recycle into something new.
I’ll often get inspiration for a new theme by just picking up a piece of junk metal. For example, an old car windscreen wiper might turn into a Hare’s leg, a bottle top might suggest an eye for a fish or a white plastic milk carton becomes the flank of a cow.
For this show I have assembled a large collection of old decorative ‘biscuit’ tins to be able to portray and enjoy the many colours exhibited by birds. I work on the form first and then attach pieces of coloured tin as ‘feathers’.
I have had great fun in making these and to me, the biggest compliment I could possibly be paid is the smile on someone’s face when they see one of my sculptures.’’
Influences include nineteenth century animal engravings, domesticated animals and our dependence on them, movement of racing animals such as horses and dogs, skeletal structures both organic and inorganic
Most of my pieces are done to commission with a variety of clients. In 2001 I was commissioned to make 10 pieces for a large window display for Viscount Linley's furniture store in London. I attended Morley College of Art in the late 70s where I studied Life drawing under Maggie Hambling and John Bellany. In the late 80s I attended Richmond College to study Sculpture under Avril Vellacott. Since then I have picked up different techniques as I've needed them and greatly helped and inspired by Mary Orrom.