Trevor Askin

Featured Artist

About Trevor

Trevor has been sculpting since 1980. He has his own studio, foundry and gallery. During the first few years of his sculpting career Trevor worked mainly on representational sculpture – a necessary discipline for any artist, however after about five years he found himself developing a more free and flowing style of sculpture which is unique to him. He calls this unique style ‘curvilinear’ and these works are widely sought after by collectors.
His ‘curvilinear’ pieces are one-off sculptures – he does not have a master mould for any of these works. He does his own casting with certified bronze ingots using the ‘cire perdue’ (lost wax) method in ceramic shell moulds.
Enjoys creating sculptures that are uplifting to the spirit, but also finds the need to express his feelings of hurt and despair by creating caricature, whimsical or abstract sculpture. Is an elected Artist Member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts.

International commissions include nine bronze trophies for the 1995 World Gliding Championships and a bronze centre-piece for the 10th World Rose Convention in 1994, the latter is installed in the Rose Garden at the Mona Vale public gardens in Christchurch.

Commissioned by the Timaru Beautifying Society to sculpt the ‘Paper-boy’ a life-size bronze installed in the city of Timaru in 1997. Commissioned by The Blacksmith Memorial Committee to create a three-quarter life-size bronze sculpture of a blacksmith which was installed at Orari in January 2006 in recognition of the pioneers of the Orari District as well as others.

His works are in private collections in the United States, Canada, England, Switzerland, Japan, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, France and New Zealand.

His work is on exhibition in Timaru, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland.

Nor’wester

Inspiration came to Trevor for this work when an off-the-cuff comment was made regarding the Nor’wester Marquette, ‘imagine this 6 metres tall’. From that Trevor was off on how to accomplish that feat.
The result of those words now stands proudly as Trevor’s last ever sculpture. Usually favouring the bronze medium for his lifelong artistic work, bronze was not an option for this work. Turning to steel, his son Simon Askin from Phoenix Engineering was significantly helpful in assisting his Dad to realise this dream. Simon was also integral in the practical installation of the work.
A Nor’west wind is a weather event all Cantabrians know something of. It is not something to take lightly as many folk have personal stories to attest. It was in fact the 1975 wind that inspired Trevor to create the smaller work which was four decades ago now. Amazing that all those years ago it is still very relevant in our lives.
The Timaru District Council prepared the foundation engineering drawings and supplied the man power to prepare the site. Thompson Engineering supplied the concrete and steel mesh, and Hilton Haulage donated the crane and operator for transportation and installation. TDC Parks will also be preparing a tear drop shaped garden around the work, with Toe Toe and wind grasses to help bed the work into the landscape. This garden will fully endorse the work on a blustery Nor’west day.

This work was fully funded by Sevicke Jones’ Perpetual Guardian managed bequest through the Aigantighe Art Gallery Timaru.