Rolly was inspired to be an artist and to study art by his uncle John who was an art teacher and sculptor. While he was an art student, Rolly was particularly moved by such people as Jacob Epstein, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore. The other strong influences on Rolly’s wood art have been Oceanic and Maori art forms and the flora, fauna, flotsam and jetsom of the New Zealand coastline.

Rolly discovered the lathe as a sculptural tool in the 1970’s making design components for an art school design project. Later browsing through a book he saw some examples of Bob Stockdale’s natural edged bowls and thought he might be able to make a little money making turnings like that to help him through art school. Since the age of nineteen, Rolly has loved the sensual pleasure of wood peeling from a turned form, now he is in his fifties he still experiences the same gratification from the sound, feel and aroma as shavings fly.

His art works are a melding of woodturning, carving and surface patterning. He aims to seamlessly blend these elements. It is an exciting journey which Rolly sometimes struggles to make time for now that the demands of hollowing tool production are becoming insistent.

Above:
Thumbnails of 12, highlighted wooden sculptures.