Aukje Van Vark
- Works online: 18 Total prizes: 3
- Preferred media: cement fondu, bronze, Stoneware handbuild ceramics,
- Sculpture styles: figurative, portraits (animal),
- Sculpture scales: small (0 - 100cm), medium (100 - 200cm),
- Sculpture settings: indoor, outdoor,
- Works to Comission: Yes
- Runs Classes: Yes
I love to make quirky animals with a twist, with a side serve of humor- for people who like something different.
My animals come to life in my studio in the Dandenong ranges, a little down the hill from our house, in the middle of the bush.
I love spending time in my studio, and discovering what the material will bring me that day. Sometimes that is exactly what I planned, and sometimes it is a total surprise. I love how the process brings me revelations that I can build on later.
My need to make, leads to and comes from the animal world. Animals give me freedom to show what I see and what is important.
When creating Art, my mission is not to depict life, but to reflect on life, and how I experience it- I feel a need to show people how I see things and how they move me- to achieve this I need to exaggerate what I see to translate the feeling, which is how my animals are bringing joy, despair, wonder, - emotion- into my sculptures.
They portray movement, as posture and flow is essential to convey what I need to say.
AWARDS / RECOGNITION
'17 Pakenham show, - recommended
'19 Yakkerboo Art show - Best local Artist
'20 Twin rivers online; Best sculpture in show
'21 Blairgowrie ; Best sculpture
'21 Kilmore art expo ; Best sculpture
'21 Kinglake Art show ; Best sculpture second prize.
'21 Finalist Bluethumb art prize
'22 Herring Island Summer Arts Festival- Zoom Out : peoples choice award.
'22 Pakenham Art show ; Bronze prize
'22 ASV Annual ; Meridian Bronze prize.
'22 Featured artists in the Victorian Artists Society
'23 Best carved sculpture Kilmore art expo
Annual & Awards Exhibition
Herring Island Summer Exhibition
McClelland Gallery
Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
Victoria Sculpture Prize
Annual & Awards Exhibition
Herring Island Summer Exhibition