Aukje Van Vark | Sculptor profile
Aukje Van Vark At the farm Broken When things Change… Fair Play Clydie chillin’ I love the water Clydie Chillin Sir Mandrill Leafy Seadragon on driftwood Leafy Seadragon Attila Lost Happy Dance Great day Eligius Skyline Seal Shy Guy Underdog

Aukje Van Vark

  • Works online: 20 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
Aukje Van Vark short bio

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

Exhibitions History
Annual & Awards Exhibition Annual & Awards Exhibition
2019 Skyline
Herring Island Summer Exhibition Herring Island Summer Exhibition
McClelland Gallery McClelland Gallery
Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
2020 Eligius , Skyline
2019 Seal , Shy Guy , Underdog
Victoria Sculpture Prize Victoria Sculpture Prize
Prizes History
Annual & Awards Exhibition Annual & Awards Exhibition
2023 Happy Dance won Valda Cuming Memorial Award
2022 Lost won Meridian Foundry Workshop Prize
Herring Island Summer Exhibition Herring Island Summer Exhibition
2022 Leafy Seadragon won People’s Choice Award