Andy Wallam

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Andy Wallam

What inspires your art practice?
I live on the west coast in a barn close to Ripiro beach. The environment is often wild and powerful. I take great solace in the beach and its surroundings. The area has been changed by human activity and my work generally comes from the interaction of these two factors.

What materials do you work in?
I predominantly work with clay and sometimes stone, wood and dargit.

Describe your artwork for NZ Sculpture OnShore 2021
Home is.. This was the first of the pieces I made, once settling into living on the West Coast. Having recently moved out to Ripiro Beach I felt an immediate connection and it felt like home.

Homage to the bees: The Bee has become a symbol of the fragility and yet at times resilience of many ecosystems with the increasing damage to our environment. There is still hope as long as we act.

The last forest: On my last visit to the UK there was a sign at the side of the road saying, ‘Welcome to the Sherwood Forest’. There were no trees in sight. The same applies here in Aotearoa, the forests that exist are remnants of what used to exist.

Where are the public most likely to see your artworks outside of NZSOS?Sculpture Northland, Mangawhai; Sculpture in the garden, Mangawhai and Whangarei; Coast to Coast in the Far North; My home gallery and studio.