Tapping into the wire

24 October, 2004
For immediate release

Tapping into the wire

Sculpting No.8 wire and a $5 piece of wood has paid off for Te Awamutu artist Lynne Stone – who took home $3000 for her first-prize effort in the Fieldays No.8 Wire Art Awards.

The awards were announced at the exhibition’s official opening at Te Awamutu Museum last night, to a crowd of 60 people. Lynne – who is also a museum volunteer - received cheers from her friends.

Second place was Irene Wilcox with her three-metre high “Wind Wand”. And third was Regan Gentry’s “Gilbert & Gentry” – a detailed No.8 wire replica of a rugby ball.

Lynne’s piece “Landfall” is the first sculpture she has attempted since graduating from Wintec with a Bachelor of MediaArts (hons) two years ago. Lynne took her inspiration from surveyors who drew “slices” of the land and artist Colin McMahon’s depictions of the New Zealand landscape. While the wire is a metaphor for the hills, the timber is a metaphor for the land.

“The timber was from a demolition yard and was a piece of wood the owner saw as junk and was using it to weigh down some good timber,” Lynne said.

“I knew the type of piece I wanted and I was very lucky I found that.”
After spending three days sanding her wooden base, Lynne tackled the task of using No.8 wire for the first time.
“I did find it very unforgiving at first until I found out how to use it.”

The Fieldays No.8 Wire Art Award winners will be on display at Fieldays 2004, with the exhibition running at the Te Awamutu Museum for six weeks. The “People’s Choice” winner will be announced following the exhibition. Fieldays No.8 Wire Art Award is in conjunction with the Waipa Networks’ Te Awamutu Rose and Cultural Festival.

Ends.

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