OLIVE WOOTTON Myth & Legend
goldmark
Catalogue ÂŁ10
OLIVE WOOTTON
Myth & Legend
Chris Wrigley
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|3
OLIVE WOOTTON Olive Wootton, who has spoken of Rodin
Daphne in the process of metamorphosing
and Epstein as influences, has her own
into a laurel bush in order to evade being
special flair, whether it be in the way that she
raped by Apollo. Daphne, she has said, is
draws on mythology or literature for her
‘incredibly important to me’. After her
human sculptures or on acute observation
husband, Gordon Wootton, the painter, died
for her animal studies.
in 1984, she returned to sculpture, using
In this new exhibition she draws on a
local animals as her subject matter, but to
range of classical myths. She explains her use
express ideas she turned to mythology.
of mythology by commenting that she loves
The first piece she made was Daphne. This,
depicting the drama in the myths. In this
as she has observed, was about
exhibition she offers us some of the more
metamorphosis, and so expressed her own
unusual male figures. Hers are powerful
changing life. In the new exhibition there is
depictions of the minotaur of Greek
also the very beautiful statue of Persephone,
mythology, which features in some of the
the bringer of spring and summer, with birds
finest of Cretan art. Her minotaurs are every
and flowers.
inch virile and menacing figures. She has
Olive Wootton has also drawn on the
made five versions of the minotaur and may
commedia dell’arte for other outstanding
well do more, for it is a subject with which
sculptures of the human figure. Harlequin,
she really engages. She finds appealing ‘the
holding two classic drama masks, is for me
battle between his human and animal make
one of the finest pieces on display in this
up’. There is a sculpture of Pan playing his
exhibition. He was the first of the
pipes. The goatish Pan is another sexually
Masquerade figures. She has commented,
potent male. Icarus also appeals as he falls
‘I do feel very passionate about my work.
‘helplessly and completely out of control’;
I loved making Masquerade as the figures
she has created two versions. Her women are also strong figures, but
almost made themselves, they knew how they had to be. For me the group has an
sometimes vulnerable ones. Diana hunting is
energy and a changing story. Who is the
a memorable image of a goddess in control
assassin after? What has happened between
of the world around her. In contrast, Olive
the Lion and the Unicorn?’ Her earlier
Wootton has sculpted the vulnerable
sculpture of Columbine is another
4 | OLIVE WOOTTON
sophisticated and most appealing figure,
great work. Her scrimshaw is on resin, not
drawn from the later development of
whale bone or walrus tusk. Scrimshaw is a
commedia dell’arte characters.
medium that matches the period of this
Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ has inspired some of her
strongest of Romantic era myths. She also has a remarkable feel for animals,
work, both in bronze sculptures and the less
wild and domestic. Her animal sculpture
usual art of scrimshaw. Her Ancient Mariner
goes beyond accuracy in depicting animals’
work was the subject of an earlier exhibition
tensions. This is so of her warthogs, which
at the Goldmark Gallery. Coleridge’s poem
seem to be assessing their safety and being
has been greatly admired for its profundity
ready to run in an instant if danger
on burdens of guilt and death since its
approaches. They stem from time she spent
publication in 1898. Just as Sir John Tenniel’s
in Kenya, as do her hippo and elephant
illustrations for Lewis Carroll’s two Alice
sculptures. Boris, her large Vietnamese pot-
books influence our images of Alice and
bellied pig, is a swaggering male chauvinist,
those she encounters underground, so
harbouring no doubts about his virility and
Gustave Dore’s illustrations (forty large and
attractiveness to the opposite sex. He was
three small) have affected our images of the
local, as was her Camborough sow, a very
Ancient Mariner. Olive Wootton has provided us with fresh
contented looking animal. She loves greyhounds, and has one. She has depicted
images. She became interested in
the champion greyhound Westmead Hawk,
Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner when she
as well as the famous Ballyregan Bob. Her
submitted a design for a statue for Watchet’s
other animal work has included a working
harbour in Somerset. She was moved by the
springer spaniel.
spirituality and imagination of Coleridge’s
Olive Wootton has exhibited at the
poem, and felt that the mariner’s
Goldmark Gallery several times from 1993, as
thoughtless action in destroying the bird
well as at many other Midlands venues. She
resonated with today’s thoughtless
has exhibited frequently in London,
destruction of wildlife and the planet. She
including at the Royal Academy Summer
went on to produce both statues and
Exhibition, and throughout the UK and
scrimshaw in her response to Coleridge’s
Europe.
Chris Wrigley Emeritus Professor of History, Nottingham University
Myth & Legend | 5
1. Eros Resting bronze, ed 9, 2011 7.25 x 11 x 5.5 inches
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2. Metamorphosis of Daphne - Bust bronze, ed 6, 1990 27 x 24 x 23 inches
also available in resin bonded bronze
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3. Icarus I bronze, ed 9, 1999 14 x 14 x 14 inches
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4. Pan Festival resin bonded marble, ed 9, 2004 22 x 32 inches
Myth & Legend | 11
5. Dionysius, God of Wine resin bonded marble, ed 9, 2014 41 x 22 inches
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6. Helios and Selene II bronze, ed 9, 1995/8 23 x 22 x 22 inches
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7. Masquerade (seven ďŹ gures) bronze, ed 9, 2009 17 x 22.5 x 22.5 inches
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8. Persephone, Bringer of Spring bronze, ed 9, 2013 58 x 15 x 26 inches
also available in resin bonded bronze
9. Minotaur Bellowing bronze, ed 6, 2015 53.5 x 26.5 x 21.75 inches
10. Minotaur Bellowing (Maquette) bronze, ed 9, 1993 19 x 13 x 8.5 inches
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11. Selene, Goddess of the Moon aluminium, ed 9, 2005 47 x 18 x 27 inches
also available in resin bonded aluminium
22 | OLIVE WOOTTON
12. Tree Spirits (two ďŹ gures) bronze, ed 9, c2000 51 x 18 x 25 inches (each)
also available in resin bonded bronze
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13. The Green Man resin bonded iron, ed 9, 1997/9 12 x 12 inches
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14. Diana the Huntress bronze, ed 3, 2011 58 x 25 x 36 inches
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15. Minotaur Crouching bronze, ed 9, 1993 12.5 x 10 x 15 inches
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16. Icarus II bronze, ed 9, 1999 30 x 13 x 10 inches
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17. Pipes of Pan bronze, ed 9, 1998 50 x 23 x 22 inches
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18. The Sun Now Rose Upon the Right polished bronze, ed 6, 2008 10 x 7 x 11 inches
Myth & Legend | 35
In 1992 Olive Wootton was elected an Associate
1993
Wildlife Art, Yarrow Gallery, Oundle,
Member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors and in
Northamptonshire
recent years has shown at the Royal Academy Summer
First All Sculpture Exhibition, Royal West of
Exhibitions. She lives and works at her studio in an
England Academy, Bristol
attractive area of rural Northamptonshire. Her work is
1994
held in numerous public and private collections.
150th Anniversary Exhibition, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol Winter Exhibition, Mason-Watts Gallery, Warwick
Solo Exhibitions 1985
Mixed Media, Northampton Art Gallery
1987
East of England, Peterborough, Cambs
1989
Recent Bronzes, Scaldwell, Northants Silks of St. James, London
Summer Exhibition. Chelsea Harbour, London Annual Exhibition, Town and County, Northamptonshire 1995
Islington, London
Greyhounds, Wimbledon Stadium, London
Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London
Olive Wootton, Mason-Watts Gallery, Warwick 1993
Winter Exhibition, Mason-Watts Gallery,
Exhibition, Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham,
Warwick
Rutland 1999 2008
Annual Exhibition, Town and County,
Shadows and Reflections, Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham, Rutland The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Goldmark
Brian Sinfield, at the Business Design Centre,
Northamptonshire 1996
Brian Sinfield, Compton Cassey Gallery Autumn Exhibition, Royal West of England
Gallery, Uppingham, Rutland
Academy, Bristol Annual Exhibition, Town and County,
Group Exhibitions
Northamptonshire
1988
Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London
Winter Exhibition, Alresford Gallery,
1989
Bath Arts Festival, Bath
Winchester
1990
Contemporary Arts, Caldwell Gallery, London
Winter Exhibition, Mason-Watts Gallery,
Country Living, Business Design Centre,
Leamington Spa
London
1997
Gallery Les Hirondelles, Geneva 1991
Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London
Northamptonshire 1998
Game Fair, Castle Ashby, Northamptonshire Wildlife Exhibition, Stuttgart, Germany 1992
Annual Exhibition, Town and County, Annual Exhibition, Town and County, Northamptonshire
2000
Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
Society of Woman Artists, Westminster Hall,
Royal Society of British Sculptors, London
London
Annual Exhibition, Town and County,
Nature in Art, St. Laurent, France
Northamptonshire
Selected Works, Battersea, London
2004-6
Artparks, Sausmarez Manor, Guernsey
Catalogue produced to accompany the exhibition held at Goldmark Gallery in April 2015 Text Š Chris Wrigley Photography Š Jay Goldmark Design Roger Porter ISBN 978-1-909167-22-3
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14 Orange Street, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9SQ 01572 821424 goldmarkart.com
opposite:
19. Selene and Sleeping Endymion bronze, ed 9, 2014 22 x 20 inches
back cover:
20. Frog’s-Eye View bronze and mirror, ed 9, 1990 14 x 9 inches
She is the master of her medium Fred Cuming R.A.
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