Neil Dawson's Large Scale Sculptures

Horizons appears as a giant, Lichtenstein-esque falling sheet on a green hillside in New Zealand.
Photo: David Hartley, from Neil Dawson's website

Thanks to my friend Jane, I recently came across this photo of Neil Dawson's sculpture Horizons, but as it turns out I've been admiring his work in situ for quite a while.

Horizons 1994 Welded and painted steel 15 x 10 x 36m  Photo © Gibbs Farm website

My first encounter with Neil Dawson was in Wellington, where his site specific sculpture Ferns hangs above Civic Square like a silver moon.

Ferns, Photo from Neil Dawson's website

The Rock, another sculpture of Neil's in Wellington which I caught myself admiring from our parking garage.

Neil's work struck me again on the first day I saw the earthquake damage in Christchurch. We were allowed to walk through a fenced off area of downtown, and among the shattered buildings, weeds and historical cathedrals, I spied something beautiful: the Chalice.

Standing tall, shining and glowing with an inner blue light that seemed somehow more spectacular against the overcast sky, it impressed me immediately.

The Chalice, Photo by Dave Foster, from Neil Dawson's website

His work was unwittingly featured on my blog before, in my post about Brisbane, when I saw his piece in the sky above the Queensland Art Gallery. At the time I had no idea who had made it, but I knew I liked it.

Canopy, by Neil Dawson

Have you ever heard of an artist/musician/etc. only to discover you loved them all along?

See more of Neil's work at his website.