ARTIST PROFILE
Pip Fearon
Outback Artist
Celebrating the cultural significance horse racing has had within our region, none other than Pip Fearon's Red Ridge project 'Miss Petty: The Bush Salute' will bring the legendary mare, Miss Petty to life in a gidgee sculpture by mid-august.
But where did Pip's passion for sculpture work start?
Beginning in 2014, Pip’s passion for large-scale sculptures was discovered in an art workshop.
‘I decided to do a course in timber sculpturing, and it all began from there. I just loved it,’ explained Pip in an interview with Red Ridge. ‘I thought to myself, this is something I can do at home, and it all just sort of fell into place.
I was able to be not a mum, not chasing cattle, not working in the yards—I was able to do just my own thing with art. We’d always have the steel and wood on-hand, and when we moved to Tambo, I discovered the gidgee around there. When I found out about how strong it was, I began to sculpt with it.’
Celebrating Culture
CREATING A LASTING MEMORY
Made from the local gidgee tree sticks, we at Red Ridge couldn’t think of more suiting material to represent the legendary horse, as she was from the bush. Having sculpted 12 major gidgee artworks in the past, Pip’s plans to take on the life-sized chestnut mare have already begun, set to be unveiled on the 12th of August for the #betterinblackall Festival.
‘Most of the horses I sculpt have a wagon rim base, and I bend the steel rods into whatever position I want the horse to be in,’ explained Pip. ‘It’s a lot of drilling and tying the wood on, but I’ve found the whole process to be really therapeutic. I didn’t think I was an arty person, but now it has a really special place with me—it brings people together, helps celebrate people’s lives, and there’s a lot more to it than just being a ‘feel good’ activity.’
