Simon Max Bannister was born and bred in South Africa. He recently made the big move to New Zealand after falling in love with the dramatic beauty of the land, its people and the spirit in which nature is revered and respected.

Simons large outdoor sculptures begins to take life after he refines the concept down to a few essential sketch marks. These small marks become the backbone of the large armature onto which further character and details are added.

“The gesture of the piece must have grace and poise, fluidity and balance and be true to its materiality, strong enough to converse with the elements and evoke a life of its own. Hovering between dissolution and form the sculpture will find its moment of completion.”

Simons large steel sculptures reflect a sense of time and place within the elements, as they are encouraged to naturally oxidize, giving the sculptures a warm patina rich in earthy ochres. Simons smaller bronze sculptures are assembled from wood splinters, which are reminiscent of feathers, bone and sinew.

The initial form is carefully moulded and assigned to a kiln to be incinerated. Once the original form is completely burnt away, he casts the bronze into that negative space, creating a now immortalised and unique replica of the original work.

Simon honours the creative act of Art as an essential daily nourishment, weaving through many mediums he has sought to refine his approach, technique and sculptural language. Simon draws deep inspiration from the remaining wild spaces and the animals bound to them.

As an ambassador artist for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, a percentage of the earnings returns back to projects that help protect his inspirational sources.