THEY SAY beauty is in the eye of the beholder; when sighted by eyes with a vision, even the distorted, twisted, fragmented and discarded can be salvaged, dusted off and included in the creation of something far greater, more purposeful or beautiful than previously imagined.
It takes a certain kind of person to find a way to make the broken beautiful again, and an even braver one to have the courage to share their unique artistic perspective with others.
Humble and unassuming local artist, Mark Niglia describes his creative process, as one of certain catharsis, drawing inspiration from moments and life events that have truly moved him. Through his works, Mark explained, he feels a freedom to express his emotions, as he allows them to manifest in the physical form, via his larger-than-life sculptures.
Welding and sculpting have always been a part of Mark’s life, he says; though it wasn’t until several of his mares had emerged, that he began to think about exhibitions and potentially sharing his art publicly.
Five years on since he finished his first design ‘Dawn’, his collection now features a total of 12, uniquely, individual characters, seven of which are currently on display as a part of the Shepparton Festival.
Mark has long-held an affinity and deep respect for horses, he says; explaining he has always felt in awe of them, “They’re just such big, strong, powerful animals, yet they are such beautiful creatures, who also possess the capacity to heal and nurture humans.
“Their ability to portray such duality has been such a significant source of inspiration in the creation of the collection,” he said.
Aware of Mark’s skills and his growing sculpture collection, Shepparton Festival organisers invited him to take part in this year’s event; proposing an exhibition at the host site of Tallis Wine. Set amongst the spectacular natural landscape, the alignment was a perfect fit.
The opportunity has provided Mark with the ability to present his solo exhibition, ‘Wild Horses Rising’ directly to a local audience.
The free Exhibition kicked off at Tallis Wines Cellar Door, last Friday, June 11, and will continue through until Sunday, June 27 as a part of the Shepparton Festival.
