Rufus Sculpture

After graduating with a degree in 3D Design, Model Making and Digital Art from Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology I worked in the Irish film industry as a prop sculptor but could not make peace with the hazardous materials and excessive waste that I was confronted with every day. So I ran away from film and creative industries in general. I traveled through Australia and Asia, working with children in Outdoor Education to help rebuild the connection between humanity and the natural. I have now married my two passions; working with young people to foster a custodial attitude towards the world and working with natural materials to make sculptural art. Working with a material that I am passionate about is essential and for me, wood ticks a lot of boxes. First and foremost, it is sustainable, but it also brings an element of life to a piece. The artist has to work with the personality of the once living material, it provides its own lines and contours, it splits and adds its own contrasts. Wood is unyielding and demands time and effort, something that is lost in our culture of instant gratification. Trees are important in Irish folklore and when working with native timber I choose a wood that fits the meaning behind the piece. Working with wood symbolizes a deeper connection to land, time and material.