Cocoon - Dan O'Toole
“Cocoon” – when I was a kid I used to keep Emperor gum moth caterpillars on a bed of gum leaves in a shoebox. Once they’d spun their cocoon it was an anxious time waiting, checking each day for a sign of life – transformation. Their cocoon hanging off a branch – a treasure. I always wished I could see inside to watch the metamorphosis.
Bio: Dan is an emerging found object artist and sculptor. Working predominantly in metal, using sculpting, welding and traditional blacksmithing techniques. Dan enjoys working with metal, blacksmithing and found object sculpture. Light is often a key feature of his work. Dan uses a lot of polished metal in his work; brass, copper, aluminium and steel. This can create reflections or highlight the beauty in an industrial object and present it in an entirely different context to its original purpose. Dan has worked with kinematic sculpture, experimenting with movement and light. “I want my work to be easy to enjoy, to create a sense of wonder, sometimes to convey a message but often just a bit of fun.”
Winner of the Art Farm Birchs Bay Major Sculpture prize in 2018. Winner of the People’s Choice Award, Art from Trash 2018.
“Cocoon” – when I was a kid I used to keep Emperor gum moth caterpillars on a bed of gum leaves in a shoebox. Once they’d spun their cocoon it was an anxious time waiting, checking each day for a sign of life – transformation. Their cocoon hanging off a branch – a treasure. I always wished I could see inside to watch the metamorphosis.
Bio: Dan is an emerging found object artist and sculptor. Working predominantly in metal, using sculpting, welding and traditional blacksmithing techniques. Dan enjoys working with metal, blacksmithing and found object sculpture. Light is often a key feature of his work. Dan uses a lot of polished metal in his work; brass, copper, aluminium and steel. This can create reflections or highlight the beauty in an industrial object and present it in an entirely different context to its original purpose. Dan has worked with kinematic sculpture, experimenting with movement and light. “I want my work to be easy to enjoy, to create a sense of wonder, sometimes to convey a message but often just a bit of fun.”
Winner of the Art Farm Birchs Bay Major Sculpture prize in 2018. Winner of the People’s Choice Award, Art from Trash 2018.
“Cocoon” – when I was a kid I used to keep Emperor gum moth caterpillars on a bed of gum leaves in a shoebox. Once they’d spun their cocoon it was an anxious time waiting, checking each day for a sign of life – transformation. Their cocoon hanging off a branch – a treasure. I always wished I could see inside to watch the metamorphosis.
Bio: Dan is an emerging found object artist and sculptor. Working predominantly in metal, using sculpting, welding and traditional blacksmithing techniques. Dan enjoys working with metal, blacksmithing and found object sculpture. Light is often a key feature of his work. Dan uses a lot of polished metal in his work; brass, copper, aluminium and steel. This can create reflections or highlight the beauty in an industrial object and present it in an entirely different context to its original purpose. Dan has worked with kinematic sculpture, experimenting with movement and light. “I want my work to be easy to enjoy, to create a sense of wonder, sometimes to convey a message but often just a bit of fun.”
Winner of the Art Farm Birchs Bay Major Sculpture prize in 2018. Winner of the People’s Choice Award, Art from Trash 2018.