
"My main motivation for making art is communication. I believe that art expresses things that can’t be said in words; it’s a language that goes directly to the heart… I’d like to think that, in a thousand years time, someone might dig up one of my sculptures and still be able to understand its... Read More
"My main motivation for making art is communication. I believe that art expresses things that can’t be said in words; it’s a language that goes directly to the heart… I’d like to think that, in a thousand years time, someone might dig up one of my sculptures and still be able to understand its message because of what is ‘says’ about being human."
John is a refreshingly open and pleasurably garrulous character. He lives in a tin shed – literally! It is a real artist’s garret next to his foundry in the Adelaide Hills. He lives alone, devoting himself entirely to his work and to a few treasured friends and family.
John’s self-expression through sculpture conveys the human touch of an artist for whom communication with other people is his most fervent raison d’être.
John trained at Victoria College in Melbourne in the early 1980s obtaining a Bachelor of Arts (sculpture). In 1990 John spent 10 months in Europe. There he studied sculpture history and sculpture-making and worked in several European Art Foundries. Since his return John has been working exclusively on bronze and steel sculptures and small bronze figurative works. He owns and operates Mylor Sculpture which is one of only two bronze sculpture casting services in South Australia. There, for 20 years, he has been casting large public sculptures and smaller works as a service to other Adelaide artists.
Professional Development
1992-2007 Since 1990 have been working exclusively on people size, bronze
and steel sculptures and small bronze figurative works.
1992-2007 Operating 'Mylor Sculpture' as a commercial bronze casting facility
producing sculpture and also producing bronze works for other artists
and public institutions.
Commercial work includes: advising and casting, small sculptures, portrait busts and large public commissions. eg. Donald Bradman Bronze at the Adelaide oval, Roma Mitchell Bronze on North Terrace Adelaide, Alexander Cameron Bronze at Penola SA.
1992 Established Mylor Sculpture, South Australia's only commercial Lost-Wax Sculpture foundry.
1990 10 months in Europe, Studying sculpture history, sculpture-making,
and working in Art Foundries.
1982-1983 Meridian Sculpture Foundry, Melbourne.
1980’s Making works in clay and developing the bronze-casting skills necessary to make works in bronze.
Making modelled works and large wood sculptures
Relevant Education
1981-1983 Bachelor of Art, Sculpture. Victoria College, Melbourne.
Exhibitions
2007 Contempora2 Sculpture, Melbourne
2007 Victoria Gallery, Melbourne
2006 Portrait bust of John Dowie, North Terrace Adelaide.
2006 Casuarina Sculpture Walk, NSW
2006 Bella Cosa Gallery, McLarenvale.
2006 Gallery 54, Penola
2005 Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney
2004 Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney.
2004 Sculpture in the MLC, Sydney.
2003 Sculpture by the Sea, Sydney.
2003 Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney.
2003 Gallery 460 Gosford, NSW.
2002 Wynn Prize, Art Gallery of NSW.
2002 Gallery 460 Gosford NSW.
2001 Sculpture by the Sea, Sydney.
1999 Renaissance of bronze, Penola. SA
1983-2004 Small exhibitions in all of Adelaide's major Galleries,
Group exhibitions in NSW, SA & Vic.
Curatorship
1999 Renaissance of Bronze, Penola, SA