ROBERT GILMOUR
ARTFORMS
FINE SCULPTURAL FORMS
www.robertgilmourartforms.com is the international website of Australian sculptural artist Robert (Bob) Gilmour.
The site presents a chronological showcase of the artist\'s more recent works. The focus is on freeform organic curvaceous forms represented mainly by sculpted bowls, both non-functional and functional.
The primary medium represented currently is wood.
I was born in Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) in 1961 and grew up either on or near the beach much of the time. Other than surfing and exploring, my main interest as a kid was painting and drawing ... and, making things. My career path led me into science as a fisheries biologist and then into private enterprise as a charter big game fishing captain on the Great Barrier Reef.
As the 1900s drew to a close, the creativeness of my childhood began to beckon once again. I began to make a range of utensils and homewares and found a willing market both domestically and overseas. The utensils were born directly from my own forays in the kitchen and represent a fusion of absolute function with simple organic form.
I realised I like making curvaceous shapes and so began exploring other forms ... mostly bowls. At this stage my primary medium was ... and still is ... wood. My working method is free-form. I bought a couple lathes but find turning too restrictive and machine-like. My shaping is done with an angle grinder and tungsten cutting wheel, followed up with abrasives.
My signature forms are thin-walled open bowl forms with small bases and wide overhangs ... resembling some sort of swooping flying form when viewed from the side. I use mostly tropical hardwoods although regard the beauty of the medium as secondary to the beauty of the form ... if the wood is really nice, then it\'s a bonus.
I have sold my work direct from my venue at the Port Douglas Artisan\'s Market since 2001. This has provided an invaluable source of feedback ... and loyal regular customers from all over the world. My work has been included in two group exhibitions at the Liverpool Street Gallery in Sydney. Going forward, my interests are extending to abstract freeform sculpture and furniture.
I currently live and work in Mount Molloy in the hinterland behind Port Douglas, Far North Queensland, Australia.