Red Spot Gallery - Rotorua Art Gallery supporting local artists
Robert Onnes
Kiwi, Copper. 330mm Tall. $980 each (limited editions)
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Robert Onnes
“I create sculpture which reflects the diverse beauty of humanity and nature using organic lines and surfaces.”
Rob works in steel and copper plate. These materials forge into substantial forms and yet they display an earthy, organic quality. “It fascinates me how smooth surfaces and clean sharp edges can be made to suggest natural forms.”
Raised on a farm in the Waikato, Robert had a keen interest in art while at school. He made a career in electronics and later worked as an electrician and developer. Rob attended a summer school course on sketching and oil painting run by Michael Shepherd at Elam in Auckland in 1994 which produced some good results. He began making sculpture in 2007.
Rob’s work has been shown in the following group exhibitions:
Opening Exhibition at the Estuary Arts Centre 26 February to 1 April 2007
Hanging sculpture “Out of the Blue” installed in the Estuary Arts Centre from February 2007 to August 2008.
Birds Exhibition at the Estuary Arts Centre 1st of July to 29 July 2007
Friends of Kings College Sale of Fine Arts 9 to 11 November 2007
Work featured with the painting of John Stayt at the Morgan St Gallery 6 to 20 Dec 2007
Members Exhibition, Estuary Arts Centre 6 to 30 March 2008 (Won 3rd prize)
Coutts Cars exhibition 16 to 18 May 2008
Entry in the Alfresco Sculptor of the Year 16 to 18 May 2008
Friends of Kings College Sale of Fine Arts 7 to 9 November 2008
Members Exhibition, Estuary Arts Centre 5 to 28 March 2009
Metal Matters exhibition, Uxbridge Gallery, Howick 8 to 21 May
Entry in Situate competition, Perth, May 2009
Entry North Shore City Art Awards, Mairangi Arts Centre, 14 October – 4 November 2009
Eye for Sculpture, Clevedon, 4 – 8 November 2009
Friends of Kings College Sale of Fine Arts 6 – 8 November 2009
Transitions, Estuary Art Centre 10 June – 4 July 2010
Tauranga Garden & Art Festival 8-14 November 2010
Estuary Artworks, Uxbridge Gallery, 11th Feb – 9th March 2011
Eastern Artscape, Uxbridge Gallery, 18 March – 6 April 2011
One night of Wonder, Lopdel House, 26 March 2011