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Ronald Rae

This artist accepts commissions

Mediums Used

granite sculpture, Granite ( Blue Russian ), Granite - Russian Blue, Granite Stone, Granite,

Scottish sculptor Ronald Rae first discovered his passion for carving granite at the age of fifteen. Now in his 76th year he can no longer take the punishment of carving granite. For 58 years he worked intuitively with only hand tools, and was able to convey the tenderest of feelings on to one of the hardest stones. Many of his sculptures are on public display, but they have also been placed in several distinguished private collections. Most of the sculptures remaining for sale are now at Creetown Whisky Bond, where they make a tremendous impact in their group setting.

My sculptures are my prayers – my reason for being. To me granite is the most beautiful stone in the world. The granite I use is 460 million years old. It will be in the world when the stars go out. It is an honour to be able to carve it. That is why I use hand tools. I want to make love to the stone, whereas power tools would rape it.

Sculptures by Ronald Rae

Bison (Carved Granite Abstract Garden Outdoor Statue)

£150,000

Celtic Head (Primitive Visage Carved Granite Statue)

£10,000

Viking Head (Historical Carved Stone Norseman Face Sculpture)

£10,000

Vulture and Carcass

£70,000

Ox (Carved Stone Granite Abstract Outdoor Statue)

£125,000

Man of Sorrows (Carved Stone Abstract Granite Sculptures)

Wild Boar (Big Carved Stone Abstract Outdoor Statues)

Mother and Child (Big Abstract Granite Outdoor Statue)

£100,000

Dung Beetle (Large Abstract Granite Carved Scarab Statue)

Credentials

Biography

Ronald Rae was born in Ayr, Scotland in 1946. Whilst still in short trousers he struck his first granite rock. At the age of twelve he was drawing a weekly cartoon strip for a local newspaper. Drawing would be an important part of his life but sculpture his main love and obsession.

In the beginning Rae explored his faith through his art. This resulted in a large series of emotive drawings and carvings based on the life of Christ. Being brought up in the countryside it followed that he expressed his appreciation of animals in his art. Aware of his Celtic heritage he thrilled at seeing Scotland`s ancient carved stones and Celtic crosses that often included wild boar, horses and bears.

Rae was always intrigued by prehistoric cave art. This inspired his relief sculpture Bison. In this work he did not carve the stone in the round but used his chisel to draw on its surface. Also carved in relief is the monumental Tyger Tyger.

The pink and grey granite that Rae has carved for the past 20 years comes from Kemnay and Tillyfourie quarries in Aberdeenshire. The silver gray he used for his earlier works came from Creetown and Dalbeattie quarries on the Solway Firth. The oldest granite is 470 million years old. It is in these quarries that Rae finds the right stone or the stone finds him. He makes no plans in advance for his sculptures. He carves intuitively to find what is within each stone. Often he find animals. To him it is "a miracle". He says passionately "I do not just carve animals, I try to carve the spirit of animals. The sculptures are a thank you for my life - they are my prayers"
There is video footage of Rae carving on the Ronald Rae website.

In addition to carving, Rae has worked prolifically, often after carving all day, on expressionist and fantasy drawings, in a variety of media. He has forged his own path here too, developing the use of biro pens, into the most refined technique. Rae expresses the wonder and terror of our existence, and connects us all through his intuitive understanding of universal experiences of pain and alienation. Some of these drawings eg the Daily Telegraph Series are now for sale via Gerber Fine Art in Glasgow.

Influences

Michelangelo, Egyptian sculpture, Pre-historic cave art, Pictish stones and and Celtic art, Expressionism.

Reviews

BBC2 - Film Touching Humanity
Grampian Television - Famous for Fifteen Minutes
BBC2 The Late Show - Rory Bremner reviews the Ronald Rae Exhibition in Sheffield
BBC Radio 3 Private Passions - Ronald Rae as guest speaker with Michael Berkeley.
HRH The Prince of Wales described Rae`s sculptures as "gloriously organic.".

Public Works

The Tragic Sacrifice of Christ (five pieces) -Rozelle Park Ayr
Abraham - The Royal Edinburgh Hospital
Return of the Prodigal - Aviva, Perth
Famine, and Mark of the Nail- St John`s Church, Edinburgh
The Good Samaritan- Riverside Park, Glenrothes, Fife
Sheep - Almond Valley Centre, Livingston
Sacred Cow -Victoria Quays, Sheffield
Insect and Celtic Cross - Birmingham
O wert thou in the cauld blast (Burns) - Station Square, Milton Keynes
Elephant and Rhino - Dormston Art Centre
Millennium Fish - Cramond Kirk
Fallen Christ - Iona
Hiroshima Departed - Japanese Peace Park, Milton Keynes
War Veteran - Milton Keynes
Cramond Fish - Cramond Shore -Edinburgh
Baby Boar - Aberdeen Airport.
Sacred Cow - Victoria Quays, Sheffield
St. Francis - National Trust for Scotland, Threave Gardens, Dumfries and Galloway.
Lion - St Andrew Square, Edinburgh

Teaching Experience
Gives regular illustrated talks to various societies and advice to budding sculptors.
Public Acquisitions
Alan Grieve, The Jerwood Foundation Lord and Lady Heseltine Andrew Sebire Jenny Melmoth Raymond Armstrong Iona Community, Island of Iona Isle of Eriska Hotel South Ayrshire Council @ Rozelle Park, Ayr Royal Edinburgh Hospital Cramond Kirk Cramond Community St.John`s Church Edinburgh City of Milton Keynes Glenrothes Development Corporation West Lothian Council Aviva plc Bletchley Park. The City of Milton Keynes Dormston Art Centre, Dudley

Categories

This artists work is found in the following categories on site:
Abstract Contemporary Modern Civic Urban sculpture statue statuary Abstract Contemporary Modern Large Monumental Public Art sculpture statues statuary Abstract Contemporary Modern Outdoor Outside Garden / Yard Sculptures Statues statuary Abstract Modern Contemporary statues sculpture statuary Animal Kingdom Sculpture & Statues Carved Stone, Marble, Alabaster, Soap Stone Granite Lime stone Sculpture Cattle, Kine, Cows, Bulls, Buffalos, Bullocks, Heifers, Calves, Oxen, Bison, Aurocks, Yacks Garden Or Yard / Outside and Outdoor Sculptures Garden wildlife Sculptures Outsize, Very Big, Extra Large and Massive Sculptures Primitive Naive sculpture statue carving casting Primitive or Naive style Sculpture or Statuary Stone Garden Yard sculpture or statue The Americas: Animal / Wildlife Sculptures Wild Animals and Wild Life Sculptures Bas Reliefs or Low Reliefs Busts and Heads Sculptures Carved or Carving sculpture Mask, Wall Hung Faces and Part Heads Sculptures, carvings panels Statues Carved Abstract Contemporary Modern sculpture statue carving Stylised Heads/Busts Sculptures African Animal and Wildlife Sculptures Animal Abstract Contemporary Modern Stylised Minimalist Sculptures Big Large Birds sculptures statues Birds of Prey Raptors Hawks Eagles Falcons Owls Sculptures Monumental Sculptures Stylised Birds sculptures/statues/statuary/ornaments figurines/statuettes Animals in Repose Resting Sleeping Lying Monumental Contemporary Abstract Modern sculptures Biblical Character or Thing sculpture Statues Statuettes Christian Church Sculptures, Carvings Bas Reliefs Stained Glass and Statues Christian Sculpture & Statues Crucifiction Christian Cross Alter Piece sculpture Statues carvings Statues statuettes sculpture depicting the crucfiction Human Form: Abstract Sculptures Love / Affection/Adoration/Passion Sculpture Male Men Youths Masculine statues sculptures statuettes figurines Religious Sculpture European Animal / Wildlife Sculptures Field Sports, Game Animals Sculptures Pigs, Sows, Boars, Hogs, Piglets Sounders Sculptures or Statues Public Art Sculpture Mother and Child Baby Infant sculpture Mother and Child, the Madonna, mother and children Sculptures mother and children Sculptures Parent - Child Sculpture Scarabs and Beetles Bugs Sculptures Statues statuette Stylized Animals Sculptures

Tags

This artists work is found in the following tags on site:
cave art expressionism expressionist hand carved sculpture Large sculpture monolith primitivism Carved Granite Face Sculpture Carved Granite Head Sculpture Carved Head Patio Sculpture Carved Stone Face Garden statues Carved Stone Head statue Carved Stone sculptures Celtic Granite Head Sculpture Celtic Head Statues Portrait Celtic Head Sculpture Carved stone Face sculpture Carved Stone Viking Statue Carved Viking Head Sculpture Garden Viking Head Statue High Relief Stone Face Statue Relief stylized Head Sculpture Stone Viking Face Statue Stylized Stone Viking Statue Viking Head Stone Carving Abstract Vulture & Carrion statues Abstract Vulture Garden statue Carved Abstract Vulture statue Carved Stone Vulture statue Contemporary Bird statues Contemporary Stone Vulture statue Stylised Vulture & Carrion statue Vulture & Carcass Garden statue Carved Stone Ox sculpture Contemporary Carved Stone Ox statue Contemporary Statue Granite Ox statue Hand Carved Abstract Stone Sculpture Modern Abstract Ox sculptures Primitive sculpture Scottish granite Oxen Sculpture Stone Abstract Ox sculpture Abstract Christ Stone statues Abstract Jesus Stone statues Abstract Male Stone sculptures Abstract Monumental sculptures Big Granite Abstract figurative sculptures Carved Granite Jesus sculpture Large Granite Jesus statues sculpture of the Son of Man Abstract Wild Boar statues Carved Granite sculpture Carved Wild Boar statues Modern Carved Stone Boar modern Carved Stone Boar statue Stone Wild Pig sculpture Wild Boar Stone sculpture Abstract Mother & Child sculpture Abstract Stone Family sculptures Figurative sculpture Infant sculpture Maternal sculpture Modern Mother Garden sculptures Monumental Mother Modern sculpture Mother & Baby statues Mother Child sculptures stone garden sculpture Carved Granite Insect statue Carved Stone Dung Beetle sculptures Carved Stone Insect sculptures Giant Granite Beetle sculptures Massive Carved Beetle sculptures Monumental Beetle statues Monumental Dung Beetle sculpture Outsize Dung Beetle sculptures