Sculptor: Nola Steele - DURBAN NORTH

Nola's sculptures, like Nola...have a story to tell ....it was to say the least, a fascinating visit to the the home of Nola Steele who was married to the late Nick Steele - gameranger extraordinaire - the legend lives on in many the hearts,minds and memories of conservationists and of course by way of the books he wrote, Gameranger on Horseback and Bushlife of a Game Warden which were illustrated by Nola.... a lady of many talents!!

A woman shackled....sculpture above - a sombre study....

Though Nola's bronze sculptures were the reason for my visit, I was fascinated by her paintings and the vast source of references -piles of drawings,photos and casts of wildlife footprints that she has collected over the years!!...based on her background and the time spent living in the bush, it's not surprising that Nola's wildlife bronze's reflect her impeccable attention to detail ...whether it be the squared upper lip of the White Rhino or the pointed upper lip of the Black Rhino and Calf, specifically carved in a manner seen in the bush i.e. calf just behind the mother ...

Pregnant Nude
-expectant




The sculptures shown here will be on exhibit on a 'Not for Sale - Commissions Taken' basis
Given the history of Bronzing... I was delighted that Nola agreed to exhibit and help create another dimension to exhibition in terms of the Age of Antiquity .

Contrary to the familiar image of Greek sculpture as white marble statues, about half of all sculpture produced during antiquity was composed of bronze. The metal is a relatively strong alloy of two other metals, tin and copper. Bronze was also first and foremost the medium of ancient weapons used by the Greeks and most other cultures of their time. As a medium, bronze proved more versatile than marble and actually contributed to the transition of Greek sculpture into the Classical Period. The ability of bronze to hold its shape - no matter how complex - allowed sculptors to more easily experiment with less rigid poses. The construction of life sized bronze statues involved many complications and required a special technique that took generations to develop.

Black Rhino female with calf

White Rhino - shown here from varying angles..so clearly depicts Nola's love of her subject matter in the care taken to ....show that the rhino has just been alerted...one eye open, one ear back...............as I mentioned previously....a story to tell...