SHAPING THE FUTURE
Kiwi sculptor Shona Lyon’s latest collection touches the heart by evoking memories of childhood play.
Sculptor Shona Lyon looks completely at home in her Balmoral studio – it takes no effort to visualise her spending hours in this space, working to bring her visions of the human condition to life. For Shona, sculpting is a release. It’s a medium that exists under no time constraints and is prioritised above most other aspects of her life. Seeing Shona in her element, it is hard to believe that this part of her life only began 12 years ago. The Kiwi mum’s artistic realisation didn’t hit her until she was 44. Stuck in a marketing management job – and in the midst of owning and running kids’ clothing brand OshKosh B’gosh – she was consumed by business and sought more time with her son. So her monumental career change came at exactly the right time.
On a trip to France, surrounded by historic sculpture in the Chartres Cathedral, Shona had an epiphany. “It just absolutely hit me that sculpture was what I wanted to do … it was the strongest physical feeling you can imagine.” Trusting her gut, Shona sold her business, enrolled under the private tutelage of traditional sculptor Martine Vaugel, and spent the next several years splitting her life between Europe and New Zealand.
Shona’s newest collection, Nostalgia, comprises seven bronze sculptures. The aim of this collection is to hit people’s hearts before reaching their heads. Touching scenes of parents interacting with their children playfully form the basis of this collection – and according to Shona, the way the sculptures are interpreted is entirely based on the memories of the viewer. In a way, the sculpture’s body language and posture communicate the intended emotion without the need for overt expressions. As both a ‘child’ and a parent, Shona relates to her artwork as both figures – depending on the stage of life she’s reflecting on.
Shona will be donating 12.5 per cent of the proceeds from the sales of Nostalgia to KidsCan, which she hopes will be used to improve the quality of life for children growing up in poverty. • Shona Lyon’s Nostalgia collection is currently on display at Black Door Gallery in Auckland.