Biography

Errol Davis in 2002 with Springfire (1992)
Errol Davis in 2002 with Springfire,
1992, painted stainless steel

Born in 1926, Errol spent a lifetime making models and sculptures. At the age of 15 during World War II, he and others including artist Lloyd Rees made models of every enemy aircraft in the world for the Volunteer Air Observers Corps. These were used in Sydney for spotting aircraft, should they invade. Errol’s warplane models were later donated to the National War Memorial.

From 1957, Errol pioneered the field of scale model-making for architects, industrial designers and engineers. Over the next two decades or so, Errol built models of most of Sydney’s large buildings, bridges and motorways, including the Sydney Opera House and the entire Sydney CBD. Errol’s model of Ancient Rome, which was made in 1976 for the Classics Department of the Australian National University, took six months to research and construct.

In 1992, Errol founded and became Curator of Macquarie University Sculpture Park, and in 1993 became Sculptor-in-Residence. The park is one of the largest of its type in the world, containing over 100 sculptures, including many of Errol’s.

Throughout the 1980s and 90s Errol concentrated mainly on bronze and stainless steel sculptures. One of his largest, Kakadu Flight, won the 1989 Ueno Royal Museum Award in the 6th Henry Moore Grand Prize Exhibition in Hakone, Japan.

In 2002 Errol was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the arts, particularly through the establishment of the Sculpture Park at Macquarie University.

Errol died in Sydney in 2009.

1926              Born in Sydney, Australia.

1947              Graduated Bachelor of Engineering, University of Sydney.

1950-1955  Lived in London. Studied sculpture at Regent Street Polytechnic, London (1953)

1953              First exhibited sculpture (“Quartette”) at the Artists from the Commonwealth exhibition, London.

1957-1980s  Pioneered the field of scale model-making for architects, industrial designers and engineers. Trained and employed personnel in this field. Built models of most of Sydney’s large buildings, bridges and motorways, including a model of the Sydney CBD; Macquarie University’s buildings and campus; and the Sydney Opera House. Also models of Canberra’s major buildings for the National Capital Development Corporation, including the National Library of Australia in 1962. Model of Ancient Rome completed for the ANU in 1976.
Studied Design, East Sydney Technical College.
Teacher, Industrial Design, Randwick Technical College.

1965-1973  Student, committeeman, organiser, tutor, for World Education Fellowship Creative Arts Summer School, Sydney.
Student in sculpture, jewellery-making and drawing at Workshop Arts Centre, Willoughby, NSW.

1973               Joined Ateliers Art Protis, Brno, Czechoslovakia, making Art Protis Tapestry Pictures in wool. Exhibited in galleries in Sydney, Stockholm, Manila and in various places in Czechoslovakia.

1983-1985  Foundation President, Guild of Professional Modelmakers. Made Honorary Life Member in 1989.

1986-1988  Teacher, Sculpture, Seaforth College of TAFE, NSW.

1992               Founder and Curator, Macquarie University Sculpture Park, Sydney.

1993               Sculptor-In-Residence, Macquarie University, Sydney.

1994               Attended 15th International Sculpture Conference, San Francisco.

2001               Awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Sculptors Society “in recognition of achievements in sculpture and for the invaluable service to sculptors and the community with the creation of the Macquarie University Sculpture Park.”

2002               Assisted Edith Cowan University to launch its Sculpture Park, Western Australia’s first designated University Sculpture Park, at its Joondalup Campus.

2009               Died in Sydney, Australia.

Solo Exhibitions of Sculpture

1982          Sculpture Centre, Sydney, abstract sculpture.
1984          Greenhill Gallery during Adelaide Arts Festival, SA, abstract bronze sculpture.
1984          Parker’s Garden Centre, Turramurra, Sydney (September), works featured in a garden setting.
1987          Holdsworth Galleries, Woollahra, Sydney, abstract bronze sculptures.
1989          Holdsworth Galleries, Woollahra, Sydney, stainless steel high-tech sculptures.
1990          Cooks Hill Galleries, Newcastle.
1995          Holdsworth Galleries, Sydney, bronze & stainless steel sculptures.
2002         Macquarie University Art Gallery, Sydney, Retrospective.

Group Exhibitions of Sculpture

1953              Artists from the Commonwealth exhibition, London.
1983              
Irving Sculpture Gallery, Glebe, Sydney.
1983              Sculptors of the North Shore, Chatswood Centre Art Space, Sydney (November).
1984              Sculptors Society Exhibition, St Georges Terrace Gallery, Parramatta (March).
1984              Collage Gallery, Paddington, Sydney.
1984              Sculptors Society Exhibition, Woollahra Galleries, Sydney.
1984              Springton Gallery, South Australia.
1984              Mary Burchell Gallery, North Sydney.
1985              Gallery One, Stanmore, Sydney.
1985              Hunters Hill Art Prize Exhibition, Sydney. Highly Commended award for “Southern Cross” bronze sculpture.
1986-1987  Sculptors Society Exhibition, Holdsworth Contemporary Galleries, Woollahra, Sydney.
1989              6th Henry Moore Grand Prize International Competition, Utsukushi-ga-hara, Hakone, Japan. Ueno Royal Museum Award for 4-metre stainless steel sculpture “Kakadu Flight”.
1990              Sculptors Society Exhibition, Seymour Centre, Sydney.
1992              10th Biennale Dantesca International Competition, Ravenna, Italy. Gold Medal award.
1992              Founded the Macquarie University Sculpture Park.
1993              Dante in Australia Exhibition, Ravenna, Italy.
1994              Dante in Australia Exhibition, Parliament House, Canberra.
1994              Walkom Manning Art Prize Exhibition, Manning Regional Art Gallery, Taree, NSW. Second prize: “Red Feathered Friend” steel sculpture
1994              11th Biennale Dantesca International Competition, Ravenna, Italy.
1995              Sculptors Society Exhibition, Beaver Galleries, Canberra.
1995              Dante in Australia Exhibition, Parliament House, Sydney, January 1995.
1995              Dante in Australia Exhibition, Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne, August-October 1995.
1995              Sydney Jewish Arts Festival Exhibition, Holdsworth Galleries, Woollahra, Sydney, November-December 1995.
1996             Walkom Manning Art Prize Exhibition, Manning Regional Art Gallery, Taree, NSW. First prize: Shelldiver” bronze sculpture
1998-            Sculptors Society Exhibitions, Darling Park, Sydney.
1999              Toyamura International Sculpture Biennale, Hokkaido, Japan: “Solar Net”
2000           
FIDEM XXVII International Art Medal Federation Congress, Weimar, Germany: Sunning in the South I and Sunning in the South II
2002             FIDEM XXVIII International Art Medal Federation Congress, Paris, France: Memorial for a Lost Pearldiver
2007             Great Synagogue Art Exhibition, Sydney.
2009            Contemporary Medallic Art from Australia Exhibition, New York, USA.

Solo Exhibitions of Art Protis Wool Pictures

1973          Sebert Gallery, Paddington, Sydney.
1974          Australian Trade Fair, Intercontinental Hotel, Manila, Philippines (February-March).
1975          Opening of Scone Civic Art Gallery, NSW.
1976          Canberra, ACT.
1976          Boggabri Annual Art Show, NSW.
1978          ANZ Exhibition Centre, Martin Place, Sydney.
1978          Freudenstadt, Western Germany, in Town Hall.
1978          London, New South Wales House, with help from Qantas and Dep’t of Trade grant.
1979          Brisbane, Wool Exhibition Centre Gallery.

Awards

1989          Ueno Royal Museum Award, 6th Henry Moore Grand Prize Exhibition, Hakone, Japan, for 4-metre stainless steel sculpture “Kakadu Flight”.
1992          Gold Medal Winner, 10th Biennale Dantesca, Ravenna, Italy.
1994          Highly Commended Award, Hunters Hill Art Prize, Sydney.
1994          Second Prize, Walkom Manning Art Prize, Taree, NSW, for “Red Feathered Friend” steel sculpture.
1996          First Prize, Walkom Manning Art Prize, Taree, NSW, for “Shelldiver” bronze sculpture.
2002          Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the arts, particularly through the establishment of the Sculpture Park at Macquarie University.
2004          Honorary Doctorate, Macquarie University, Sydney.

Television Appearances

1980s       “Good Morning Sydney”, Channel 10
1981         
“Weekend Magazine”, Channel 2
1984          “Simon Townsend’s Wonder World”, Channel 10
1993          “Review”, Channel 2 (12th July 1993)

Commissions

1970s        Art Protis Wool Tapestry, ANZ Banking Group head office, Sydney
1970s        Art Protis Wool Tapestry, Local Government Superannuation Board boardroom, Sydney
1970s        Art Protis Wool Tapestry, Trinity College, Melbourne
1989          Stainless Steel Sculpture “Kakadu Flight”, Open-Air Sculpture Museum, Utsukushi-ga-hara, Japan
1990          Stainless Steel Sculpture “Kakadu Wings”, foyer, 321 Kent Street, Sydney
c.1993       Hand-beaten copper installation for water feature, Big Bear Shopping Centre foyer, Neutral Bay, Sydney
2005         Stainless Steel Sculpture “Season’s End”, Macquarie University Sculpture Park, Sydney

Collections

  • Macquarie University Sculpture Park, Sydney, Australia (approx. 18 works)
  • 321 Kent Street, Sydney, Australia, “Kakadu Wings” stainless steel, 1990
  • Open-Air Museum, Utsukushi-ga-hara, Japan, “Kakadu Flight” stainless steel, 1989
  • Dante Museum, Ravenna, Italy.
  • Errol Davis’ works, pictures and sculpture are represented in private and public collections in Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, London, the Philippines, Sweden, USA, Italy and in all Australian Capital Cities.

References

  • Max Germaine: Artists and Galleries of Australia and New Zealand.
  • Utsukushi-ga-hara Catalogue, 1989.
  • Artfile, 1992, pp 98-99 and 339.
  • Oz Arts, 1994, 11, p 111.
  • Dante in Australia: Australian artists interpret Dante Alighieri, curated by Eileen Slarke, 1995.
  • Craft-Arts, Issue 9, June/August 1987.
  • Craft-Arts, Issue 11, February/April 1988, p 89.
  • Art and Australia quarterly journal, 1998, ‘Landscape and the Human Spirit’ pp 505-507.
  • Sydney Morning Herald obituary, 2010, ‘Sculptor put his Heart and Soul into Creating’ by Di Yerbury.,
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