A DILTON Marsh artist has created a sculpture in memory of his teacher and fellow villager, who inspired his distinctive style.
Derek Kinzett’s wire sculpture of a Harley Davidson motorcycle pays tribute to Ron Julier, his art teacher at Trowbridge Technical College in the 1980s.
Ron encouraged Derek’s unique style during his time at the college, and the two men later became friends when they discovered they lived in the same village.
Derek has now made a name for his sculptures made of galvanised wire mesh, which is similar in appearance to chicken wire. He receives commissions from all over the world, including Hollywood stars.
Derek said, “When I was studying art, we were making sculptures and using the wire to make an armature, which you then cover in clay or whatever you are using. I started to make the armature more and more detailed, and more like a sculpture. Ron was my art teacher, who encouraged me to make the armature the sculpture – that’s where it came from.
“As time went on, I perfected a way, and moved up to life-size sculptures which have been exported all over the world now. The last one I did is now next to a pool in Miami!”
“Since the exhibition opened on the 9th February, I’ve received e-mails from people who work in art in general and who say, ‘I came to see your exhibition and Ron was my teacher and he inspired me!”
The Harley Davidson is part of Derek’s exhibition, ‘Inner Spirit 13: Fairies, Dragons, and Unicorns’, which runs at Lacock Abbey until Sunday 10th March. Another of the sculptures, ‘Walk of Faith’, is dedicated to the Reverend Richard Yates, a close friend of Derek’s father.
Find out more about Derek’s work at www. derekkinzettwiresculpture. co.uk or telephone 01373 825 616.
For more details about Lacock Abbey contact The National Trust on 01249 730 459 or email lacockabbey@nationaltrust.org.uk
Pictured top: Derek Kinzett with the Harley Davidson.
Pictured second from top: The centrepiece of the exhibition, the unicorn, can be found in the centre of the abbey’s cloisters
