Bill Devoy
After working in the graphics industry, Bill started hard stone sculpting in 2008 and found he enjoyed the process of working in three-dimensional form. Working in all types of hard stone, his pieces contain a mix of realism and contemporary. He draws inspiration from his love of nature, with birds as a central focus. Bill is also intrigued by the human form and spirituality, which is evident in his portrait work. He has works featured in Creative Conservation, a recent book celebrating New Zealand artists who are ‘wild’ about nature. Bill works mainly to commission, exhibits throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, takes part in many symposia, and has numerous pieces in private collections.
More about Bill: devoysculpture.com
Standing over three metres high, Bill Devoy’s Waraki ‘Dawn Chorus’ is sculptured primarily from Taranaki andesite, a hard volcanic rock sourced from New Plymouth. As a conservation-minded person, he incorporates his fascination with native birds and flight into his stone sculptures, representing the essence of his subjects and conveying something of the beauty of the environment. For this exhibition he has chosen to represent the Tūī, a male and female pair feeding on the kōwhai nectar.
Starting with a concept drawing as a visual design or blueprint, Bill works through sketches finding the balance of line, shape, form and texture. These are then converted into a three-dimensional maquette to aid in the process of carving the full-sized work. Using diamond grinding tools to remove the excess stone, the piece inside is revealed, and the process is completed with the final finishing tools and polishing.