TOM ASHBOURNE
DESTIG TORONTO - ART | DESIGN | TRAVEL - ISSUE 09 / JANUARY 2021
BEST OF 2020 | TODAY'S GREAT CANADIAN ARTISTS | SPECIAL ART FEATURES | HOT PICKS
"HOW MARVELOUS THAT THEY BROUGHT FORTH SUCH MAGNIFICIENCE FROM THEIR BRUSHES AND CHISELS." - ANONYMOUS
"My sculptures have a softness, a warmth, an invitation. They are a representation of my natural curiosity and my personality, which is warm, welcoming, and inclusive. I naturally see all sides of situations, something that I present in my sculptures. Like me, my sculptures don’t have many sharp edges, they have curves positive and negative space, and lots of conversation between the different sides of the stone."
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As an art lover and collector, my interests are
You were a successful corporate executive, how did you
eclectic. After a successful career as a corporate
become specifically interested in sculpture?
executive, I joined the artistic community as a
I’ve always loved art of all forms, but over time sculpture
sculptor, my favourite art form. I found my passion
has become my favourite, and that shows in my large
and myself in the world of fine art.
collection. Sculpture, unlike other art forms, has multiple sides, angles, views, and needs to work with light in many
How did you get into sculpting in the first place?
different ways. It’s a very sophisticated art form and
I’ve been collecting and appreciating art for most of
artistic expression.
my life. My entrance into becoming a professional artist sculptor started with taking several sculpting
Do you think in 3 dimensions then? How do you keep in
courses at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), a few
mind the whole piece at the same time?
years after taking interior design classes at Sheridan
I naturally think in 3D so have a gift that few have. My gift
College. My experiences as a collector and the classes
is seeing things in the raw stone and bringing them out.
put me on the periphery of being an artist, and helped
I work on each side with equal intensity and continually
me develop my artistic eye, sense of balance, and
assess the sculpture as it evolves. I want every side to
appreciation of texture, shapes, and colour.
draw people’s interest time and again. To me the most
"I believe there is a sculpture in every piece of stone, even when it’s difficult to find. Natural features give me a starting point for how to approach the stone to transform it into the sculpture it is supposed to be."
successful piece of art is one that you can
Your sculptures exist as an extension of
look at and own for years and continue to
your artistic experience. Please explain.
see something new and different in it over
As artists we are fundamentally one with
and over.
the art we create. Everything we do is a sum of all our experiences, how we see
One of the things I’ve heard you say from
the world around us, and what we feel is
time to time is that your idea is not
aesthetically and visually interesting. My
necessarily the viewer’s idea. How do
sculptures really are an expression of my
you feel about that?
life and artistic experiences and an
Interpreting and viewing a sculpture is a
extension of my views about what is a
personal emotional experience, unique to
successful artistic statement.
each of us. I actively encourage viewers to decide what they see in each sculpture
What’s your role as a sculptor in relation
and express what their views. Each
to the material?
interpretation of the image is equally
I believe there is a sculpture in every
valid in terms of appreciating the
piece of stone, even when it’s difficult to
sculpture and connecting with it. My
find. Natural features give me a starting
sculptures and my perception of them
point for how to approach the stone to
evolves over time as I never quite know
transform it into the sculpture it is
what the finished sculpture will look like.
supposed to be. It’s as if the stone is
Encouraging viewers to express their
talking to me, saying, “I’ve got this feature
ideas and perspectives is part of its
you can build on” and that conversation
evolution.
goes on until the sculpture is finished.
What can we see that’s uniquely you in your finished sculptures? My sculptures have a softness, a warmth, an invitation. They are a representation of my natural curiosity and my personality, which is warm, welcoming, and inclusive. I naturally see all sides of situations, something that I present in my sculptures. Some unusual elements I introduce are embedded billiard balls or iridescent glass. Like me, my sculptures don’t have many sharp edges, they have curves positive and negative space, and lots of conversation between the different sides of the stone. Sometimes you work with a colour in a stone. Because stones aren’t a solid colour. Is that one of the features that appeals to you or is it the shape? Sculpture is all about shape, form and colour, universal artistic elements. I can create the sculpture’s shape and form but can’t influence its colour. Instead I enhance the image by using shape and form to emphasize the range and richness of the stone’s natural colours. Even then I can’t see the stone’s true colour until I’m close to finishing the sculpture. How did you develop your technical expertise to the elite level that you operate at now? I think it’s partly practice, and partly a gift. The technical part of stone sculpting resides in being curious and learning every day as you’re working. The truth is that the technical skills and tools for sculpting have changed little in 400-500 years. Practically, sculptors slowly remove parts of the stone to see what’s there. Knowing what to emphasize and when to stop are as essential as technique for exceptional sculptures. Can you talk a little about the transition from a corporate life in an office to a life in the studio? It’s a very welcome transition and change. I use many of the skills that made me a successful executive - analytic skills, lateral thinking, listening, and being open to different possibilities about how things can possibly work. The biggest
transition is that as a corporate executive you are
encouraged my own creativity, and helped me become a
constantly interacting with other people and rarely have
confident sculptor. I’ve learned a lot about colour,
any time to yourself. But in terms of getting out and
balance, and how to present different images and
being disciplined, managing the different concepts and
shapes. To be a successful collector you must have
inputs, the change isn’t as extreme as you would think.
confidence in what you like and do your own analysis to
At this point, the recognition, and successes I've
evaluate what makes a piece of art successful.
received motivate me every day, leaving my corporate
Otherwise you can end up with a collection of mediocre
life further and further behind.
art. I have many fantastic things because I can see the components and understand why and how they are
You described sculpture and sculpting as a solitary but
successful, or not. By looking at individual pieces of art
rewarding art form. Tell us more about that.
and talking with different artists about what makes
There are far fewer sculptors than there are painters.
something good or not as good, what is and isn't strong
And you’re dealing with large, heavy objects that are
has shaped my whole concept of art, which shines
difficult to move and machines and materials that tie you
through in my sculptures. In my own work, an important
to your studio. And it takes time for the sculpture to
measure is whether I would buy it. If the answer is yes, I
evolve. However, as a sculpture takes form and comes to
know that I have a good sculpture.
life it brings me joy and excitement that is hugely rewarding.
You described your interest as a collector as an exploration of colours, shapes, and textures. What do
Can you talk a little bit about what you’ve learned as a
you mean by that?
collector that you’ve brought into your creative
For a piece to be successful, continuously fresh, and
approach to sculpting?
present new idea, I need to communicate a consistent
It is integral to my success. As a life-long collector I’ve
message and multiple points of interest. As a sculptor
developed a vast knowledge of art and art history,
this involves creating intriguing shapes and rich texture,
"In my own work, an important measure is whether I would buy it."
and presenting soft and hard edges, light, energy, and
Denizen, you see a great big smile. That’s coming from
appealing colours. These are the elements that make a
me. It's a strong piece, really engaging. Without my
sculpture wonderful. These have been fundamental to art
communication with the stone, Denizen wouldn't exist as
and artists for thousands of years and are the basis for my
it is, and Denizen is what the stone wanted to be. Denizen
personal collection.
represents my approach to sculpting, one that is incredibly successful. I like to bring out the true essence
Do you have any favourite pieces?
of the stone in my sculptures by interacting with it. I
What truly makes a sculpture a special piece for me is
never start a sculpture with preconceived ideas of what it
when the sculpture only exists as it does because of my
will be. Denizen turned out to be something fabulous,
intimate interactions with the stone. Obviously, I love my
something that I enjoy looking at. It makes me feel good
sculptures that are aesthetically pleasing or beautiful, my
that I’ve been able to listen to the stone and reveal what
favourites keep changing as artistic talents are constantly
the stone is meant to be. Denizen reminds me that no
evolving.
matter what piece of stone I have and what I see in it, if I’m patient with the stone I can reveal something that is
One of my current favourites is Denizen, an Oatmeal
wonderful and joyous.
Alabaster sculpture, reminiscent of an ancient deep-
I'm also particularly fond of Celestial, a translucent
ocean fish. I had the stone for years and it was a little
sculpture in Cloud Alabaster. It’s ethereal, it floats in the
beaten up from transit to my studio. I worked on it many
air. It’s strong, beautiful, and simple. Again, I revealed the
times but couldn’t find its true image. Then one day I
stone’s true essence in this award-winning piece. It would
started working on it again and Denizen emerged out of
have been easy to overwork the stone, creating
the stone, just as it would have emerged out of the ocean.
something that doesn’t have the impact and beauty that
Hand sanding revealed symmetrical inclusions in the
Celestial does. It is a marvelous thing. Simple, elegant,
stone, right where its eyes should be. When you look at
and sophisticated. With backlighting, it lights up from
"As always, I listened to the stone, working with it, encouraging the stone to reveal itself to me."
within. It’s beauty never ceases to impress me because Celestial changes every time the light changes. As always, I listened to the stone, working with it, encouraging the stone to reveal itself to me. Celestial came to life like a stream of consciousness. When I get into that zone, it feels easy to create beautiful things. You don’t have to overwork or overthink it to create beautiful things. That’s what an artist's talent is all about. It's not how much work, it’s about how you express your creativity. Helen is another fantastic, beautiful piece. One of my first few sculptures ever and it has really stood test of time. Creating Helen felt remarkable then and feels remarkable now, as I look back. Although I had limited experience, Helen has lovely features and curves, an eye that adds balance and an interesting focal point that brings it alive as a positive negative space. Like Helen of Troy, my Helen is a strong warrior and feminine woman, with a subtle raw edge. She is full of joy and calls out her beauty. Helen makes me feel quite elated every time I look at her. She is the precursor for my current work.
Tell us about your location and surroundings, where you work and whether it influences your work. My purpose-built studio is just outside of Wellington, a small tourist destination in Prince Edward County, Ontario. We have two acres with a studio, workshop, and small gallery along the shores of Lake Ontario. We’re far enough away from neighbours that I don’t bother them with noise and dust, and I have room for a substantial inventory of different types and sizes of stone. The County is an art and wine tourist mecca two hour’s drive east of Toronto. It’s a positive environment, lots of trees, and birds, encouraging me to continually develop my art. The weather, environment and water change all the time. It’s also a wonderful place to present my work within a vibrant community of about 500 artists.
"I'm massively honoured to be an elected member of the Sculptors Society of Canada."
This year you were elected to Sculptor’s Society of Canada, a prestigious group of 80 sculptors. What did you say to yourself when you got this recognition? Yeehaw! I'm massively honoured to be an elected member of the Sculptors Society of Canada (SSC), a prestigious group of Canada’s top sculptors. This honour is well beyond any expectations I had when I started sculpting. Membership gives me access to other successful sculptors to learn new techniques and understand what makes my sculptures exceptional. SSC is a close knit society where I can develop camaraderie with people who understand what I do and the challenges I face. A second huge honour came my way in 2020. I am thrilled to become an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA). With only 250 elected members, I was chosen from a national pool of Canadian artists creating art in every medium. I truly value these being a member of these elite societies of professional Canadian artists and understand the importance that membership communicates to patrons when they come to my Studio and Gallery, or see my work in exhibitions and shows.
figured out how to present my work and have a strong social media presence. I think 2021 will build on 2020. I’ve got amazing pieces of stone to work on and expect my sculptures will continue to get larger. I’m also going to focus on creating outdoor pieces or ones that would work well in an outdoor environment. I’ll continue my emphasis on stone sculptures, developing my skills, and experimenting with stone as I continue to develop my technical abilities and techniques. I’m confident that I’ll continue to create wonderful, interesting, evocative, and esthetically appealing sculptures, always fresh and new. Has the recognition changed your attitude towards yourself? It has. Its increased my confidence and expectations for my sculptures. I’ve learned more about how other professional artists and patrons view my work, and about myself as professional artist.. Any last words? Throughout history art has been one of the few things You also do metal sculptures, so can you talk about the
that has lived and developed. It is integral to people’s
differences or similarities working with two very
lives, adding richness and texture. My work is positive, it
different types of materials.
makes people feel happy. It’s complex and beautiful, has
I primarily work with stone and it’s the thing I love most.
intriguing shapes, texture, movement, and colour. I think
Creating metal and assemblage sculptures encourages
it will stand the test of time. My sculptures are an
my creativity and mental agility as it is fundamentally a
extension of all we see around us, and I think they have
different process. Intellectually you must do different
the potential to bring lasting enjoyment.
things to keep yourself sharp and to challenge yourself. Metal and assemblage are additive art forms – you keep adding material until the sculpture is finished. Stone sculpting is a reductive art form – where you slowly remove pieces of stone until the sculpture is finished.
"Metal and assemblage are additive art forms – you keep adding material until the sculpture is finished.
With assemblage sculpture you’re creating something from what you have. It comes from your imagination and the materials you have on hand.
Stone sculpting is a reductive art form – where you slowly remove pieces of stone until the sculpture is finished.
What can we expect from you this year? 2020 was a breakthrough year in terms of earning prestigious accreditations –Sculptors Society of Canada (SSC) and Society of Canadian Artists (SCA), the quality of my work and the shows I’ve been juried into. Despite
With assemblage sculpture you’re creating something from what you have. It comes from your imagination and the materials you have on hand."
COVID, everything is coming together. I have a healthy inventory of sculptures, I’ve developed my profile and reputation, the gallery has a steady stream of people interested in sculpture and seeing my work. We have
www.tomashbourne.com