Grief; The Lament Sculpture

“My art is my life, and to evoke a response from the viewer is to share part of my life.” “I wish,” said Miss Maureen Quin, “that people would not regard sculpture as something to be put on a pedestal apart from everything else. It is only because they see it that way in an art gallery that they never think of having as a part of their home which can be placed in many different places. The nice thing about sculpture, “she continued, “is that when you get tired of one aspect all you have to do is turn it around for an entirely different view.” “My sculptures are not conceptual works, where thought is the main thing and sculptural form is ignored. My works are sculptures first and foremost, the result of deep emotional responses to the world around me. They are not illustrative, conveying their message to the viewer in a subtler way. My sculptures are triggered by human relationships and predicaments and they find expression through the human figure. It’s difficult to explain the creative path. I normally start with drawings, and more drawings, where I compose shapes and forms and spaces between these: on paper and in my mind. I draw until I get under the skin of my subject – till I can “feel” that sculpture in me. After constructing the armature, I concentrate on the shapes and forms in space – composition and silhouette – then suddenly the work takes on a life of its own – the emotional content starts to manifest itself – the dialogue begins, between myself and the sculpture. This dialogue is essential for me; it’s a tremendous stage of discovery, an adventure into my own inner self. The sculpture acquires a spirit and a personality. While I work I’m constantly looking at the composition in space – the tensions within the individual forms and the relationships between them….to me this is the essence of sculpture.”