Since 1987, Avril Wilson has been making sculptural metalwork for public spaces and gallery exhibitions in forged, welded and fabricated steel and other metals and materials. Major public commissions include Life Span (in collaboration with Bruce Williams) - perimeter sculptural railings and gates for the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, 2000, funded by the Millennium Commission; Railings and Gateway for Swindon Dance Studio, 1997; Sculptural Gateway for The Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre, The Common, Southampton, 1995; and a series of architectural spandrels for Banbury Town Centre, 1993. Wilson's work is held in public…
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Since 1987, Avril Wilson has been making sculptural metalwork for public spaces and gallery exhibitions in forged, welded and fabricated steel and other metals and materials.
Major public commissions include Life Span (in collaboration with Bruce Williams) - perimeter sculptural railings and gates for the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, 2000, funded by the Millennium Commission; Railings and Gateway for Swindon Dance Studio, 1997; Sculptural Gateway for The Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre, The Common, Southampton, 1995; and a series of architectural spandrels for Banbury Town Centre, 1993.
Wilson's work is held in public collections including; Crafts Council; Hove Museum and Art Gallery; and East Sussex County Council.
In 2004 Wilson was the first female artist-blacksmith to be awarded a bronze medal by the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths in recognition for her contribution to architectural metalwork. In 2005-07 Wilson has most recently been engaged in a period of professional development involving visual and contextual research and critical dialogue. This was funded through the Arts Council, ETA Makers Mentoring Scheme.
Wilson's current research involves an experimental interplay between ideas, imagery and materials. Ideas are drawn from exploring natural phenomena, landscape, and mapping. Through manipulating material status, material association, light, image and diagram the work explores memory and sense of place of borderlands. It is intended that this period of research will lead to new methods of developing ideas for commissioned work.
Wilson is a member of the faculties 'Materials Practice and Processes' research group. She is currently undertaking a CETLD research project 'See What Happens - the value of creative experimentation through materials'.
