D'Arcy Bellamy

Pipe dream – noun. Any fantastic notion, hope or story.

I am drawn to the strength of metal and its ability to hold curved linear shapes. I enjoy the process of getting dirty and manipulating a material that that should not be malleable. I love taking a raw material that is extremely static and creating something vibrant and original. I enjoy the heat and sparks and confusion and ambiguity that are part of the creative process.

All of my sculptures are created from steel pipe. I like that I am recycling a utilitarian, unromantic, extremely practical material that has been largely overlooked by other artists.Each piece is completely unique; there is no casting or duplication of any kind.

I have been sculpting since 2002. I focus on creating light, delicate, free form shapes which capture the essence of movement and are fun for the viewer to look at. The finished forms spring to life when gently touched and cast interesting shadows when they are lit. The base material naturally lends itself to objects with strong negative space, curves and tension. These smooth lines encourage the viewer to move around the work. Due to the fabrication process my work combines shiny surfaces with rough edges. My sculpture has been variously described as dangerous and whimsical, kinetic and static, playful and bold, contemporary and primitive, abstract and figurative, delicate and solid, clever yet groundbreaking.

Much of my work has a spiral element. The spiral is one of humankind’s oldest symbols. I sculpt the spiral because it is a beautiful, archetypal shape with limitless interpretations. For me the spiral suggests movement, evolution, possibility, dynamic change and tension. Of course, the spiral occurs frequently in nature. We see it in seashells, whirlpools, tornadoes, galaxies, and even human DNA. Because it occurs in the natural world, within the human body, and all that surrounds us, as a symbol the spiral has great resonance and powerful psychological impact. I find visual creative inspiration in fabrics, symbols and myths, nature, the human form, fashion, architecture and even in advertising.

I am called to create sculpture in order to live, for me, a more meaningful, authentic, and challenging life.