A DILTON Marsh artist is causing a stir in the world of sculpture with his unique creations, fashioned out of chicken wire.
Whereas most people would use the wire to keep foxes away from their poultry, Derek Kinzett is inspired to create beautiful and otherworldly figures from the unusual medium. The sculptures have captured people’s imaginations, and Derek has received commissions from all over the country, even selling one to Hollywood superstar Nicolas Cage.
Derek, who studied art and design at Trowbridge College, was prompted to use chicken wire after seeing it used as a template or skeleton for many sculptures, before it was covered by the final piece.
“I was really interested in the concept of these full size, 3D figures. I wanted to take that and make each sculpture as intricate as the finished article,” he said.
Derek, who works from his studio at home in Dilton Marsh, first displayed ten creations, the “Inner Spirit” collection, at the National Gardening Show in 2004, and since then has been inundated with commissions for his work.
“It just went ‘bang!’” said Derek, who has been sculpting full time for three years now, and only works to commission. Derek said, “We thought that the idea that these are life size figures that you can see through would be really good in gardens especially. We wanted people to walk past and say ‘hold on a minute’. They have a kind of ethereal, spiritual quality. People have described them as ghostlike, which is where the name ‘Inner Spirit’ comes from. People seem to like them.”
Although originally intended for the outdoors, Derek says that around 40 percent of the works that are commissioned are for the inside of buildings. He has taken on a variety of projects over the years, including creating memorials. He says that each project becomes very involving, and because he only works to commission, no two jobs are the same.
“I have to research each piece and understand the personalities of the people involved,” he said. “You do get very attached to them, and I try to make them all more than a sculpture.”
Recently Derek completed a series of four sculptures for Newstead Abbey in Nottingham, of 18th century gardeners, which are dotted throughout the grounds. He has also been commissioned by Milsom Place in Bath to install four fairylike figures in the retail area to enhance the feeling of Christmas magic. They will be officially unveiled on November 26th when Derek’s fan Nicolas Cage switches on Bath’s Christmas lights.
Derek has been blown away by his success so far. He said, “Here we are in this little Wiltshire village which we love, and we’re getting commissions from all over the place. When I heard Nicolas Cage had bought one, I felt fantastic about it.”
To find out more about Derek’s sculptures, or to commission a work you can visit www.derekkinzettwiresculpture.co.uk or call 01373 825616.
