It took Jon Edgar two years to persuade fellow sculptor Ronald Rae to take two days off work and to sit patiently while his head was modelled in clay. Photographer Glyn Satterley recorded the event.
This is one of a series of portrait heads by Jon Edgar featuring well-known British sculptors, art curators,critics and collectors, including Sir Roy Strong, Peter Randall-Page, Alan Thornhill, Wilfred Cass and Peter Murray. To see these portraits and others visit www.jonedgar.co.uk
All posts by Pauline
With the shooting stopped and the freedom fighter at last finding his true voice
With the shooting stopped and the freedom fighter at last finding his true voice
This is how it is my friends we are all of us
Tied to our lives by a thread no thicker than a hoverfly’s thought
So tell your children from today the sun will remain high in the sky
Their shadows will be able to move around and not be shot
A home for this country of ours will always be behind our eyes
From there our lookouts will marvel at this new-found stability
Queues will be everywhere praising what they see and believe
Not oil but wheat will win the day and the day being won
We with our enemies will sit down to eat
Ronald Rae
Ronald Rae returns to carving granite – Part Three
In this third video the sculptor discusses his tools and technique for carving granite. Gradually the baby elephant is emerging from the stone, the trunk and ears now completed and the legs and body being formed.
See also the final video Ronald Rae completes his Baby Elephant sculpture Part Four. Go to right hand margin to Latest News on Video for the link.
Christ and Lamb
Fallen Christ – granite. Ht.5 x 8 x 7ft. 5 tonnes. Location – Isle of Iona. Photograph by David Coleman.
This little lamb does not know how significant its presence is with the head of Christ.
To see a short film about this sculpture go to Latest News on Video at the right margin of this page and click on Ronald Rae visits his Fallen Christ sculpture on Iona.
You say that you are finished with being a revolutionary
You say that you are finished with being a revolutionary
But what about the whistle in your pocket who is going to play it
God knows the madness in this world has need of such a whistle
Look what we are making of life a parade of willing and unwilling skeletons
You and your whistle I think it’s time for you to empty your pockets
What can it arouse that is not faith in ourselves
Playing your whistle to a world that needs it
A simple tune played on a simple instrument
Unlike the man who offers nothing of himself to the world
Your music whether he likes it or not will be continually filling his pockets
Here under the wilderness tree the world’s tree
Who is to say that this uncertain world won’t follow you or listen to you
As on a good day conscience comes not to accuse but to console
Is it not to the fruit-pickers we should look
Who from under their belts is slackened a good coupling
Love and love again a country is being born
So if you can put ears and eyes to it
Take your whistle and move forward
The ground you stand on take it step by step
Tremendous times you have a revolution
At your fingertips and in your mouth
Ronald Rae
Ronald Rae returns to carving granite – Part Two
In this short video watch the sculptor carve the ear of his Baby Elephant during which time he had an enforced six week break because of the artic conditions in Scotland.
See also Part Three and the final episode – Ronald Rae completes his Baby Elephant sculpture Part Four. Go to the right hand margin under Latest News on Video for the links.
Horse
Granite: 6x6x3ft 4.00 tons. Location: Isle of Eriska, Argyll. On Hire
Horse
Carved in Dalbeattie silver grey granite this sculpture celebrates the arabesque forms of the horse. A natural band of quartz on one side of the stone adds to its beauty. Highly finished, it took over a year to carve.
Now on the romantic Isle of Eriska, the Horse is sited on the perimeter of the hotel’s nine hole golfcourse with the stunning backdrop of Loch Linnhe and the Morvern mountains.
To see a short video about this sculpture go to Latest News on Video at the right hand column of this page and click on Ronald Rae with his sculptures on the Isle of Eriska.
Pisces
Granite: 5x6x2ft 3.00 tons. Location: Private Collection – Edinburgh. Sold.
Pisces
This sculpture was inspired by Rae’s interest in the cosmos and a visit to the Antipodes prior to starting the work. His affinity with Aboriginal art can be seen by the linear markings on the stone.
Purchased from the Holyrood Park Exhibition.
Little Elephant
Granite: 2 x 2x 1ft. 0.25 tonne. Private collection. Location – Gloucestershire.
Little Elephant
This endearing little elephant is one of eight elephant sculptures by Ronald Rae – a subject dear to his heart. Each elephant is totally different in size and mood – this little elephant is rolling in the mud, as they like to do.
Observe the lichen attached to the granite, returning the stone to Nature.
Baby Elephant in a Snowstorm
Baby Elephant – granite sculpture in progress. Location – Cramond Kirk grounds, Edinburgh – December 2010.
Due to adverse weather conditions over the past few weeks the progress of the Baby Elephant has been curbed – hence one very frustrated sculptor! However he hopes to return to work as soon as he possibly can.