‘Impermanence’ from ‘Permanence — Impermanence’ Wighton 2024
I love anything that is new and different. That said, I love sculpting in any of the traditional ways. When I was at university, I wanted to learn everything — every style, every technique. I remember mentioning this to one of my professors. His horrified response was, “You’re talking about a universal education!” “Yes,” I thought to myself.
It is my belief that as an artist playing, exploring and breaking new ground — following your own vision — is paramount. This was very much inspired by Paul Klee and Picasso in their statements that art is play. I was young, naive and inexperienced but couldn’t do anything else than follow my vision. So, I found it very difficult fitting into the university ‘scene’ of the time.
For inspiration, I look to nature, taking long walks, observing the subtle or less subtle changes in colour, form, texture and sound. Drawing from the strength and power of life I often questioned my belief in thinking I can improve upon this perfection. But nevertheless I thought I’d give it a try.
‘Two’ – Grave sculpture showing partnership
In my early three dimensional work, I used clay. A wonderful pliable material. I couldn’t think of working in anything other than clay. But then, inspired by Jean Tinguely, Robert Rauschenberg and the music of John Cage I soon dreamt of creating moving installations that involved sound. I’d grown up in a musical family. My father was a musician before emigrating to Canada and singing was my mother’s forte — so I wasn’t going to be allowed to walk through my life silently. In my Toronto years I discovered not only Stravinsky but also The Harmony of the World (A realization for the Ear of Johannes Kepler’s Astronomical Data from Harmonices Mundi 1619. Is this the Music of the Spheres?) This made me think of the universe in which I live in a completely different way. It was also the time when computers were introduced into people’s lives which opened up new possibilities for artists.
For some time in my life, I wasn’t able to work three dimensionally so I occupied myself with drawing and painting. I gradually returned to my aspirations of creating installations but before anything materialised I took a two week course in Carrara, Italy, carving local marble and retracing the steps of Michaelangelo. It was amazing. When I looked into the stone it spoke to me and I felt I was able to bring out what I saw within it. It was exhilarating. I felt transformed. All I wanted to do after that was carve marble. However, my situation changed again through the gift of wood from a neighbour. I began carving pieces of walnut, plum and yew. Wood became my new love — softer and warmer than stone.
‘Ether’ Cley 2021 Nowhere
And then my move to Norfolk in 2015 brought me back to my desire to create installations and work with sound. I reconnected with experiments I had done at university using tissue paper. This led to my piece Ether which I exhibited at Cley 21 Nowhere. Ether was made of tissue paper and acrylic medium forming eleven translucent ‘skins’ reminiscent of alabaster or ice seemingly floating above our heads. The sound was integral in bringing about the ethereal experience. “It maximised both the visibility and purity of white … The sound is abstract, … and gently pervasive. It touches another dimension. … The ethereal emerged from a solid material.” AD What is this world around us?
My current thoughts about Permanence and Impermanence are moving me towards recycling, repurposing and reusing. For example, the torn away tissue paper from Ether was fermented for years and added to the dust remaining from stone carving. Something new is formed each time that adds meaning to my artwork.
Being a bit of a nomad, I have always worked in and with whatever materials the environment I lived in has presented me with. The fluid movements of stone or wood has led me to explore the flow of life itself. Creating objects and installations has encouraged me to reach beyond and embrace this. Nature and found objects are an unending source of inspiration to me. Regardless of the materials I use, it is the mystical visualisation of something both inside and outside of myself that has always been the key motivation in my work.