Charles Sansbury - Quotations

Quotations

Some memorable quotations about Charles Sansbury.

• "Although I am interested in and aware of most of the latest developments in contemporary sculpture, I am.....content to stand apart and endeavour to exploit the aesthetic potential of welded mild steel, whilst using imagery that comes most naturally to me. Sculptural forms are made in iron by bending, planishing and forging. In addition, forms can be built up during the actual process of welding and a combination of these techniques results in one that is both direct and satisfying. It is, however, difficult,....the mastery of the technical problems of welding sometimes precludes the success of a sculptural idea. In most constructivism the process of welding is used purely as a means of joining one piece of metal to another. This is entirely acceptable, but, to me, the marks left by the welding torch on iron are as personal as those left by the modelling tool and spatula on clay or plaster....If the texture is the direct product of a sculptural process, it becomes an integral part of the sculpture, enhancing it and identifying it with the hands that made it" — Charles Sansbury (1967)

• "His work displays a lucid exploration of the challenges and opportunities offered by metal and welding with such skill and conviction that his pieces are as enjoyable, stimulating and instructive as they were when first constructed. Some pieces use the flame of the welding torch 'as a brush' exploring changing surfaces and patterns, focussing attention in and around the various planes of the work" — Mary Telford

• "I first met Charles through a Hexham Moot Hall exhibition in 1969. He had a warm and generous nature, a genuine interest in the work of others, and was always ready to give help and encouragement. He showed great imagination and inventiveness in the way that he used his media, but was modest and self depreciating. To know his work, and to have known him, was an enriching experience." — Birtley Aris