Nicola Godden

Mediums Used

Nicola Godden exhibited at The Olympic Village 2012 with `Icarus I`, a life sized bronze figure. Her work is nearly always based on the human figure which is her main interest. She was commissioned to make a bird of prey some years ago, for The Berkeley Group plc, and loved making the wings. The combination of the human figure with wings became a passion. Nicola learnt how to fly in recent years and since then Icarus has become her preoccupation: there are thirteen Icarus figures in the series so far.
I have had over 30 years experience as a sculptor working in plaster and clay for bronze casting.
Over the years I have worked on many site specific public works with property companies and other organisations. My first large commission was the Hammersmith Man figure in 1988 and my most recent was the Icarus sculpture for the Olympic Village in London last year. The bulk of my work has been my private work of various sizes exhibited in galleries in the U.K and Ireland.
My work is nearly always based on the human figure whether in an abstract from or in a realistic way. I have always wanted to work from the human form because of the feelings and emotions it conveys; there is usually a story behind every piece.
My work has changed enormously over time and gone through many phases depending on what has been happening in my life and where the inspiration has come from. For example, during a marriage break up, my work changed from the calm, smooth and serene “Mother and Child” and “Couple” works I had been doing to pieces full of energy and angst which reflected my feelings at that time. There have been many other changes since.
Ideas come from anywhere. They can come from a piece of flint or bone found while out walking or from a dream, mythology or something briefly half seen while travelling somewhere. The “Eve” and “Torse” series of figures began when I picked up a beautiful piece of flint that looked rather like a female torso. I began by making a very small figure hardly bigger than the original stone and then did the series of figures which got larger and larger. I made the original work in plaster as it is possible to create the smoothest of finishes. I enjoy people wanting to touch the finished work.
I work in clay or plaster because it is fast and I like to get the ideas out quickly. I start with a metal supporting armature and use aluminium wire to produce the rough shape I am after and go from there usually adding clay or plaster as fast as I can. I rarely draw before working as I like to keep the spontaneity and get ideas as I work.
Most of my finished work is cast in bronze. Light reflects well off the surface and it can be irresistible to touch. Casting bronze is complex and time consuming and I try to be involved at each stage of the process; this metal is timeless and has its own fascinating history and, of course, should outlive us all.
Over the last few years I have been excited by the mythological figure of Icarus and have produced a series of “Icarus” pieces. These ideas began when I was learning how to fly (in an Ikarus C42) and the combination of man and wings is so compelling that I can`t see an end to this period.
Sculptures by Nicola Godden
Credentials
Qualifications
BA (Hons), Fine Art Sculpture, West Surrey College of Art.,BA (Hons), Fine Art Sculpture, West Surrey College of Art.
Exhibitions
Include:
Sculpture by the Lakes. Dorset. Current.
The Sculpture Park, Surrey. U.K. Current.
Windsor Birch Sculpture Garden, Cheshire. U.K. Current.
Amber Galleries, Henley and Stratford Upon Avon. U.K. Current.
Signet Contemporary Art, King’s Road. London. Current.
Fresh Art Fair. 2023
The Grange Hampshire. 2023
The Cotswolds Sculpture Park. Current.
Imagine Gallery, Suffolk.
Duncan R Miller Fine Arts, London.
Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden, various.
Curated, Mystic, CT. USA.
CCA Gallery, Jersey.
Moncrief Bray Gallery, various.
Hay Hill Gallery, Baker Street, London, various.
Wimbledon Fine Arts. London.
Doddington Hall Sculpture Exhibitions.
Art Parks International, Guernsey. U.K.
Chelsea Flower Show. London.
The Olympic Village. London 2012.
Hay Hill Gallery, Cork Street, London.
Henley Arts and Music Festival. U.K.
The Wykeham Gallery, Stockbridge. U.K.
Sarah Wiseman Gallery, Oxford. U.K.
Tom Caldwell Gallery, Belfast, various.
Hiscox Art Café. The City, London.
Since I was at art college I have been striving to express the human without it shallow, shell like persona and show the essence of what is really underneath it all.
Main influences: Clifford Cundy, sculptor/painter. Michael Ayrton, sculptor/painter. Giacometti and Henry Moore.
Public Sculptures
The Peter Scott Memorial sculpture at the WWT wetlands site in Barnes, London.
`Icarus I` at The Olympic Village, London 2012.
`The Guardians` for Nene university, Northampton.
