About Ivan Lovatt
Local artist Ivan Lovatt has been creating sculpture professionally for the past 15 years. Ivan initially came to be known for his beautiful characterisations of wildlife fashioned from claimed driftwood, winning the Peoples’ Choice Award at the 2004 Swell Festival for his quirky Emu, “Running Bird Walking”. Ivan then returned to using his favorite material, galvanised wire, a medium that lends itself to the sensitivity and delicacy of his expression. By layering, twisting, shaping and pinning this very ordinary medium Ivan creates both abstract and realistic representations, which are tactile, appealing to the viewer to touch. The wire, with its hexagonal shapes can provide a good deal of structural integrity, and with layering and using different gauges of wire it is possible to create very large sculptures. As Ivan’s skills evolved, he was drawn to the challenge of figurative work, and he was commissioned to create a series of portraits of famous people for the Jackman Gallery in Melbourne before going on to create a second series of portraits for several Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museums in the USA, London and Australia.
Ivan is most renowned for his wire representations of wild life which have won him numerous prizes and fans including People’s Choice Awards (2008, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2018) and the Peer Award (2015) at the Gold Coast Swell Sculpture Exhibition for his super size owl “Merlin”, bee “Macro”, emu “Curious Bird”, “Wolf”, lion “Magnificent” and gullah “You’re Terrible Muriel!”.
Ivan’s work has been commissioned for public and private exhibition across Australia and in the UK, Denmark, Austria, the US, and Brazil. More recently Ivan was commissioned to create a series of sculptures for the new “Lion Pride Lands” Exhibition at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo.
2022 SWELL ARTWORK – Exotic Cranes, Ivan Lovatt
A study in shape and form.
These surreal and exotic cranes inspired by the jewels of nature strut and dance in celebration.
Facebook: @Ivan Lovatt Sculpture
Website: www.ivanlovattsculpture.com
Come and see for yourself at SWELL Sculpture Festival, Pacific Parade, Currumbin 9-18 September.