Today, Michael entered "A Miner's Gamble" and "Discarded Dreams II" in the 52nd Annual Beverley Easter Art Prize. Exhibitions are not events that Michael has frequented over the years. Until we moved to Heavenly Beverley, Michael sometimes struggled with calling himself a sculptor or an artist. As far as he was concerned, he was a mechanical fitter who had loved rusty metal from an early age, which led him to a passion for decorative metal, such as self-closing gates and fences during his tenure with K&S Fabrication in Mahogany Creek. Then, after retrenchment in the mid-1990s, Michael opened his own art studio in Midland named Metal Moments. He concentrated on producing metal spiders (Magda) in five different sizes, along with caterpillars, ladybirds and undertaking commissions.
Dispirited and exhausted after eighteen months attempting to secure ongoing outlets for his pieces, Michael resumed employment with an engineering company servicing the mining industry. Although his job was technically and intellectually satisfying, he pursued his art in his spare time. Lack of enthusiastic support at home eventually led to him markedly reducing his artistic output.
He did enter the Leonora Art Prize in 2001 and 2002. "Highly commended" in 2001, Michael won the trifecta in 2002 - best exhibit, best 3D exhibit and the People's Choice after displaying "Forgotten Tracks". Michael went on to sell "Forgotten Tracks" at the Darlington Art Awards in 2007. Even then, his success only generated a lukewarm response in his home.
After Michael was widowed in December 2008, he began a reassessment of his life. His struggles with single parenting whilst continuing his demanding employment led to a breakdown in his health in June 2010. By then, we had been in a relationship for twelve months and I had to take charge.
We fled the Big Smoke in January 2011. What has followed has been a hilarious, traumatic, engaging, adventurous and wonderful ride. The House that Rocks, the Forbes Building, the Hovel and Station House. The germ of an idea to create a Gallery. The genesis of Michael's man cave workshop. A surge in his creative energy. An increase in artistic work has seen Michael's confidence skyrocket. We have a two-metre version of Dory on the front of our home, a penny farthing on the western wall of the Forbes Building and a number of his sculptures available for sale in the East End Gallery.
I am so proud of him.
A further art piece is nearing completion. "A Beverley Mandala" has been a labour of love in honour of our adopted home. Two outer rings support six inner circles, each one with a specific element. Combined together, they tell agricultural stories of Beverley and have commonality with most farming regions. Domestic, tools, vermin traps, ears of wheat, two-wheeled and four-legged transport are all highlighted. The outer rings feature horseshoes and scarifiers, used in seeding and ploughing. All conceived by Michael's artistic and storytelling vision and produced by his hands and with his sweat over the last three months.
We hope that "A Beverley Mandala" will be on display at the Easter Art Prize in Beverley's Town Hall. This would be a tribute to the last forty years of his endeavour. With good fortune, we plan for Michael to continue producing his fantastic stories of agricultural, mining and pastoral history through his metal sculptures for ten years to come.
In the meantime, come to Heavenly Beverley over the Easter long weekend - Thursday 1 April until Monday 5 April - and experience the Beverley Art prize, the 87th Tennis Tournament, markets, music, our East End Gallery Sundowner and premises such as Lucky Find, Mandy Evans' Art Garden, the Station Gallery, Nex Dor and new enterprises on Vincent Street. Go for a walk up County Peak/Quajibin, out to Yenyening Lakes, visit Ferguson's Vintage Collection and the Dead Finish Museum and immerse yourselves in our historic buildings and surroundings.
Make sure you look out for Michael's "A Beverley Mandala" as you visit the Easter Art Prize in Beverley's Town Hall.
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