My sculptures travel all over the world. I am often amazed at where they end up. Whilst the galleries keep their clients a secret, they sometimes tell me the where the works go. I am aware of works in at least 14 countries. I have many in places like England, America, Germany and Australia, but also have in some unexpected places such as Columbia and Thailand.
When I was told one of my works may be sold to a visitor from Angola I was surprised, a little skeptical and began to speculate about the buyer. I got to thinking about Angola’s diamonds and the film ‘Blood Diamond’. Then my suspicions were focused in a different direction by the sale being complicated. Apparently there are no credit cards and electronic transfers are difficult in Angola. I started to think about the notorious 419 scam. I began to imagine I was going to be asked to pay into an untraceable account, or submit my pin number along with my bank account, to make this sale happen. In the end I have been paid and now have a work in a collection in a new country, Angola. The only suspect thing remaining is my rather exposed prejudices.
We have just spent a week at Kenton-on-Sea. The trip was to gather material to make my wood sculptures, stone sculptures and bone sculptures. We also used the opportunity to visit a few of our friends, and of course I will use any excuse to do a little fishing. Every evening I would fish with a sort of religious passion. Like a monk doing penance I battled the waves, weather, rocks and smelly bait. Much of my time was spent bent over my fishing rod in fervent prayer, hoping for divine intervention. This ascetic patiently waited for hours. At each moment I was ready, coiled like a spring, braced to strike should my call come. Then, cold from the wind, I decided to put on a jacket. The rod was held with my knee against a rock whilst one hand pulled the jacket and the other was pushed half way through a reluctant sleeve. I am not sure if this is Murphy’s Law, a divine comedy or cosmic joke, but this was the moment the fish struck!
‘Dawn’ is a recently completed work. It now belongs to a hairdresser from England who cuts, amongst others, Victoria Beckham’s hair. A hairdresser is a sculptor in his or her own right and judging by her client must be a good one. She was an eager client who bought the work when it was still unfinished.
I am always pleased to get a sale, it helps pay the bills. A quick sale is a bonus and a quick sale during the festive season is just heaven sent. It puts those few extra rand in my pocket which my wife desperately needs.
This sale pleased me because a hairdresser is just the right kind of person to own this work.
