Macedon Ranges sculptor Charlie Aquilina will showcase his work at the Sculptures in the Garden exhibition in New South Wales next month.
The design of his piece, Mudgee Nest in the Hills, was envisioned during a sleepless night delivering work at last year’s Mudgee exhibit and resulted in a beautifully crafted sculpture of a rustic bird’s nest resting on a glossy basalt surface.
This piece will be displayed among 250 artworks in the not-for-profit exhibition. Mr Aquilina is one of 130 talented artists contributing from across Australia.
Having perfected his craft over 20 years, Mr Aquilina said that sculpting is a meditative, immersive process for him, and that he finds becoming absorbed in the artistry deeply fulfilling.
“Getting lost in time and getting so involved that you sometimes don’t know what you’ve done or where the past five hours have gone is really enjoyable,” he said.
In looking back at his older pieces, Mr Aquilina said that he still feels a deep connection. Despite his constant experimentations with new projects and techniques, he said that he still sees himself in his earlier artworks, and is fascinated by the way the community has accepted them.
“When I have pieces on display in a public space, you can see where people put their hands on the work because it’s got a different sheen and that’s rewarding because it’s sort of drawn people to actually engage with the work.”
The Sculptures in the Garden exhibition runs from October 12-27. Other works by Mr Aquilina can be found publicly across the Macedon Ranges and Melton as well as at local wineries and galleries.
Lara Prust
