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Dominic Clare’s sculpture and furniture is a combination
of primitive, innocent, simple rawness of form and personal quirky surrealism.
He is an artist with vision and originality.
Working mainly in wood, he draws upon a wide spectrum of cross cultural
sources ranging from his place of birth in Ethiopia to
the ancient history of Wales where he has lived and worked
for the past fifteen years.
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'Higher
Thoughts' 2006 and myself in transit
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That he has a great affinity with nature is very striking when one
sees the large-scale site-specific commissions he has produced for public
places throughout North Wales. One can immediately appreciate the depths
with which he has responded to the sites, his thoughtful research into
their historic origins and the ways in which his pieces are sensitively
integrated into the environment.
While the technique of incorporating scavenged or salvaged materials
in his work brings a sense of the absurd, harking back to the Dada or
Surrealist movements, the use of fire is evocative of African black
woods, death and rebirth. Moreover, his fire-scorching technique tightens
surface tension and reveals a purity of form.
Dominic’s unique, original sculptures and furniture are aesthetically
pleasing both indoors and outdoors and can be designed and made to commission.
He is happy to advise on the suitability of pieces that meet your needs.
Giovanna de Sola Pinto.
Curriculum Vitae (C.V.)
Commissions and Residencies
2008 Newport Wetlands, CCW commission
2007 Private Commission, ‘Envision’, Borth y Gest, Gwynedd.
2007 Cwmaman Sculpture Trail Residency, Miners Head and Auger.
2007 Llynnon Mill commission ’Wind In His Sails’ and workshops, Ynys Mon.
2007 Wern Park, Nelson, commission, three sculptures and land art, Caerphilly Council.
2007 Llyn Mair Nature Trail, CCW commission, Gwynedd.
2006 Breakwater Park, commission, three sculptures, Holyhead, Anglesey.
2005 Caerdroia Residency & Commission, Llanwrst
2005 Large outdoor table for the National Trust, Beddgellert
2004 2 benches for the Environment Agency Bangor
2004 ‘Cookes Cabinet’ North Wales Wild life Trust
2004 Ardudwy Cycle Route: 2 entrance arches & 3 Benches
2003 Ross-on-Wye International Festival: commission & fire sculptures
2003 National Trust commission: Sculptures & Gates
2003 The Dingle Llangefni Sculpture Trail: commission of 8
works
2002 Tyddyn Mon: commission Shell in tree & stone circle
2002 National Slate Museum residency North Wales
2002 Slate Valleys Initiative residency North Wales: 8 sculptures
for Gwynedd council
2001 Parc Plas Mawr commission/residency: Penmaenmawr
2001 Southall Art in the Park: Henna Hand Commission, Groundwork
West London/Ealing Council.
2000 Sunfield School commission/residency Clent Stourbridge Worcestershire
Solo Exhibitions
2008 Tinto House garden Hay-on-Wye Literary Festival 'In 2 Out'
2006 Tinto House garden Hay-on-Wye Literary Festival ‘inside outside’
2004 Dispersed Gallery Harlech ‘Deep Rooted’
Group Exhibitions
2007 ‘Minorities’ View’ Oriel Plas Y Weddw, LLanbedrog.
2003 Tabernacle Machynlleth, Enfys Chapman collection
2002 20-21 Gallery Scunthorpe ‘Designer & Recliner’
Publications
2005 ‘Groundbreaking The Artist in the Changing Landscape’ Artworks
Wales
2004 Beddgelert & Nantgwynant Walks, The National Trust
2003 Cywaith Cymru. Artworks Wales winter newsletter
2002 Cywaith Cymru. Artworks Wales winter newsletter
2001 Cywaith Cymru. Artworks Wales winter newsletter
Workshop
2004 Workshop with eleven volunteers for the National Trust
Beddgelert
2001/2 Slate Valley Initiative Project: slate carving workshops
in various schools
2001 Residency in Penmaenmawr: 25 workshops with groups in
primary schools and
community centres (examples of their work on show in the park)
2000 Henna Hand commission: fifteen workshops with schools and community groups
in
Southall, London. Design ideas came from these workshops and examples of the
work
are incorporated in the sculptures plinth
Awards
2006 ‘Research and development for sustainable practice’ Welsh
Arts Council grant
1995 Welsh Arts Council Bursary
1991 South West Arts G.W.S. Melhuish Fine Art Fellowship
1981-1985 B.A. Hons. Fine Art, Leeds Polytechnic
1963 Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Leaning Sonnet For Dominic
Head
carved from a telegraph pole, grain circles
around the eyes. Elm bur bowl. Ash stool.
Vessel in polished halves stitched together
with rope for carrying air. Slatted head
with gentle Ethiopian lips: walk past
and see it crescendo benign to so intense
it almost scares. Recycled bicycle
a freewheel lesson in how to
be yourself
no striving after. Pale roughwood
tower with holes
burnt chimney-black by
brushwood fire ignited
by sparks from a
sculptor’s
eye. Wood spirals up
buzzard-on-a-thermal
all chainsaw-glide
no flap. Enough
to start a hundred poets
carving sonnets out of writer’s
block.
James Turner
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