Peter Nava
Peter Nava’s work includes both stylised figurative and abstract stone sculptures. His preference is to carve English and French limestones and alabaster. He practises direct carving choosing not to use maquettes or drawings and sculpting freely in a process of discovery. Currently he is sculpting mostly busts in limestone.
Peter particularly enjoys working with reclaimed stone from ancient or historical buildings or stone surplus to restoration work. Pleasure arises from the sensation that the stone was once worked before by an unknown stone-mason and probably with the same simple tools. In doing this the stone could again serve a purpose for years to come. He is most inspired by the sculpture from early civilisations and mediaeval church carvings but also the work of Modigliani, and late 19th / early 20th century French and English artists such as Henri-Gaudier Brzeska, Henri Laurens and Eric Gill because of the apparent but illusory simplicity and serenity of their creations.
After retirement from a medical career Peter’s interest in sculpting gained pace. He began to sculpt more stylised figurative pieces in which his medical knowledge of the human form indirectly informs and inspires him. He spent 3 years self-teaching before he discovered that the sculptor and artist Jude Tucker lived and worked locally to him. She then began to mentor Peter at her workshop. He has continued to work there as part of a collective of sculptors over the last 3 years.
Peter has found the creation of sculptures by the process of destroying of the existing facade of the stone and extracting new form to be fulfilling beyond expectation.
He has exhibited sculptures at:
Contact details:
Email: peterlnava@protonmail.com
Website: www.stone-forms.com
Peter particularly enjoys working with reclaimed stone from ancient or historical buildings or stone surplus to restoration work. Pleasure arises from the sensation that the stone was once worked before by an unknown stone-mason and probably with the same simple tools. In doing this the stone could again serve a purpose for years to come. He is most inspired by the sculpture from early civilisations and mediaeval church carvings but also the work of Modigliani, and late 19th / early 20th century French and English artists such as Henri-Gaudier Brzeska, Henri Laurens and Eric Gill because of the apparent but illusory simplicity and serenity of their creations.
After retirement from a medical career Peter’s interest in sculpting gained pace. He began to sculpt more stylised figurative pieces in which his medical knowledge of the human form indirectly informs and inspires him. He spent 3 years self-teaching before he discovered that the sculptor and artist Jude Tucker lived and worked locally to him. She then began to mentor Peter at her workshop. He has continued to work there as part of a collective of sculptors over the last 3 years.
Peter has found the creation of sculptures by the process of destroying of the existing facade of the stone and extracting new form to be fulfilling beyond expectation.
He has exhibited sculptures at:
- "Sculpture at Kingham Lodge" during the spring of 2018
- 2018 Open Rugby Art Gallery and Museum exhibition (November - January 2019)
- Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London (July 2019)
Contact details:
Email: peterlnava@protonmail.com
Website: www.stone-forms.com
