MCFARLANE, Roger

Roger has made sculpture in a wide range of materials and styles. Roger has worked in Marble, Granite, Timber, Stainless Steel, Acrylic and Video.
His sculptures and drawings are in Public and Private Collections in Australia and many countries around the world.
His overarching principal is dedication to a high quality and professional artwork that will stand the test of time.

 

Roger McFarlane: BFA

Roger was born in 1948 at Newcastle New South Wales Australia. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The University of Newcastle. Roger has had a fascination for stone sculpture all of his life. He works on a variety of sizes from 30cm to 300cm. His studio is equipped to work in stone and welded steel. He has been fortunate to be invited to create public sculptures in Australia, South Korea, China, Brazil, and Switzerland. Roger says enjoys the process and the challenge of creating an artwork from strong materials. Roger has also restored damaged marble sculptures. Roger has also created graphic projects for theatre productions, and video as part of his sculpture installations. He has also done set designs for professional theatre companies.
Roger has acted as a judge for various sculpture exhibitions in Newcastle the Central Coast and Sydney. Roger has also been invited as a guest speaker at various international conferences on sculpture. Roger has exhibited his work in over seventy shows both in Australia and overseas.

 

CONCEPTS OF WORK

I like to work in both abstract and figurative styles. Capturing the essence of the concept without being excessively literal is my ambition. The works must speak to the observer and not be deliberately obscure. If an artist has not communicated with his audience, and involved the spectator’s imagination, then he has failed.
My sculptures must have a well finished appearance. The work of an artist should show that its creator had commitment, dedication and the skills to bring his ideas to fruition.
I work mostly in stone, such as marble and Granite, I also have cast many sculptures in Bronze. Some of my sculptures have been in Wood and Steel. It is important for a sculptor to be versatile and relate to a range of materials.
When commissioned to create a sculpture I try to make an artwork that the target audience will appreciate, without compromising my artistic integrity.

 

TRAINING

Roger was initially trained by Derek Morgan, a gifted sculptor who inspired Roger to continually try harder. Roger learnt to carve marble in Italy. He travelled to Italy in 1994, 1997, and 1999 where he was trained at the Palla Atelier. Claudio Palla is a fourth-generation sculptor and is highly respected as a sculptor is proficient at the art of intarsia and sculpture restoration. Roger also completed a Bachelor of Fine Art degree at the University of Newcastle NSW.

 

PRIZES AWARDED

2014 May The Gardens Sculpture Prize, Hunter Botanical Gardens ‘Highly Commended’
Discussion Point
2014 February Newcastle Show Sculpture exhibition 1st Prize
The Letter
2013 February Maitland Art Prize 1st Prize Abstract Sculpture
Windswept
2011 February Maitland Art Prize 1st Prize Abstract Sculpture
2010 September Matara Sculpture exhibition 2nd Prize Indoor Category
Road Song
2010 September David Latham Memorial Award for Stonework Sculpture
Nocturn
2010 February Maitland Art Prize (Highly Commended)
Reverie
2009 June Sculptors Network Exhibition (Awarded Highly Commended)
Breakout
2009 March 34th Central Coast Festival of Arts (Awarded Highly Commended)
Reverie
2008 September Darling Park Exhibition Crawford’s Casting Prize
The Burden
2008 March 33rd Central Coast Festival of Arts (First Prize)
Aida
2007 March, Mosman Village Festival of Sculpture (First Prize)
Time Machine
2006 March, Mosman Village Festival of Sculpture (Awarded Second Prize)
Rosapearl
2005 September, Darling Park Exhibition (Awarded Highly Commended)
2003 October, Matara Sculpture exhibition (Awarded First Prize Non Figurative)
Hamlets Throne
2003 April, University of Newcastle
Hunter Region Sculpture Society Prize
Rachael Samuels Memorial Award for 2002
2002 September, Darling Park Exhibition, Sydney, (Awarded First Prize)
Breakthrough
2000 April, RAS Exhibition, Sydney (Awarded 2nd Prize Abstract Sculpture)
Hamlets Throne
1998 April, RAS Exhibition Sydney (Awarded Highly Commended)
City by the Sea

 

PUBLIC SCULPTURES

2017 August “Rain Dragon” Vattis Switzerland
2015 August ‘Resilience’ Foreshore Park Newcastle NSW
2015 June Centenary of Anzac Penshurst RSL Sub-Branch Sydney
2014 December The Newcastle Club “Cathedral of Mining”
2011 November Penshurst RSL Sub-Branch War memorial
2009 August, ‘Flight Form’ Marble, Vättis Switzerland
2005 July, ‘Lady in White’ Marble, Quyang, Heibei China
2004 November, ‘Precious Pear’ Marble, Brusque SC Brazil
2003 May, ‘Sitting Pretty’ Granite, Sangcheong Sculpture Park, South Korea
2002 August, ‘Diana of Bennelong’ Black Granite, Huian, Fujian China
2000 March, ‘Memorial’ Granite, 50th Anniversary of the Korean War
UN Memorial Park, Busan South Korea
2000 February, ‘Weather Form’ Mixed Media, Thredbo Village NSW Australia
1999 March, ‘ Cause and Effect’ Hardwood and Stainless Steel, Thredbo Village NSW
Australia
1999 January, ‘Theatre Masks’ Marble, Young Peoples Theatre
Hamilton Newcastle NSW
1997 July, ‘Flood Sculpture’ Mixed Media, Maitland City Council
Hunter Valley NSW Australia

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2016 February ‘Looking Over My Shoulder’ Cstudios Gallery
2013 September ‘Random Thoughts’ Cooks Hill Galleries
2008 October ‘A Little Night Music’ Cooks Hill Galleries
2005 July, ‘The Feminine Form’, Cooks Hill Galleries
1997, November, ‘Australian in Paris’,
Gallerie Miromesnil Fine Art
Paris

 

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS

2018 October ‘Forever Unforgettable’ Extended Exhibition. Hogerlucht Belgium.
2016 October ‘Enternellemement Inoubliable’ Extended
Valenton France
2015 October ‘Unforgettable’ Extended exhibition
Frasnes-les-Anvaing Belgium
2011 November ‘Unforgettable’ extended exhibition
Voor Altijd Onverget Elijk
Gavere Belgium
2011 May ‘Unforgettable’
Saint Christiana Park
Dikkevene Belgium
2009 June National Sculpture Almanac Exhibition
Hangzhou China
2003 October Salon d’Automne
Paris
2001 December International Sculptors Exhibition
Seoul South Korea
1999, October Salon d’Automne
Paris
1998, November Salon d’Automne
Paris
1997, November, Australian in Paris,
Gallerie Miromesnil Fine Art

 

SYMPOSIUMS

2011 September, 3rd China Changchun International Sculpture Conference
Guest Speaker
2009 August, Steinbildhauer Symposium, Vättis Switzerland
2009 June Hangzhou Zhejiang province China
Conference on Public art policy for Hangzhou
2008 September 2nd China Changchun International Sculpture Conference
Guest Speaker
2005 September, 3rd China Quyang International Sculpture Festival
Heibei Province China
2004 November, IV International Sculpture Symposium of Brazil
Brusque SC Brazil
2003 May, 2nd Sancheong International Contemporary Sculpture Symposium
Sancheong South Korea
2002 August, 2nd China Sculpture Art Festival
Huian, Fujian Province
2000 September, International Sculpture Symposium for UN Memorial Park
Pusan South Korea
2000 February, The 2000 Sculpture Symposium
Thredbo Village NSW Australia
1999 February, Inaugural Thredbo Village Symposium
Thredbo Village NSW Australia
1997 July, Flood Sculptures, Maitland City Council
Hunter Valley NSW Australia

 

LITERARY REFERENCES AND ARTICLES

2013 Urban Sculpture China comment piece ‘The Sculpture Judge’
2012 Urban Sculpture China ‘Sculpture and Regionality’
2009 China Sculpture Magazine edition 6
Son of [the] Sea in Newcastle
Roger McFarlane’s Sculpture Art (4 page Spread)
2009 The Herald Supplement
The Hunter Home Grown (People-Artists & Galleries P-21)
2007 December Hunter Lifestyle’ Magazine Edition 29 December/January
‘The Beauty of Steel on Show’ by Marilyn Collins
2005 July 2nd – Weekender Magazine- Newcastle Morning Herald
Feature article
‘Carving a niche’ by Ben Quinn
2003 ‘Hunter Lifestyle’ Magazine Edition 3 July/August
‘The Stone Master’ by Marilyn Collins
2001 ‘House & Garden’ Magazine, January 2001
1998 Featured in ‘Teach Yourself Sculpture’ by Jane Hill
Hill Jane M, ‘Teach Yourself Sculpture’ McGraw Hill.1998

 

MEMBERSHIPS

Australian Sculpture Hunter Region Inc. (Now Hunter Sculptors Inc.)
The Sculptors Society, Australia
Sculpture Professional Committee China (Chinese Professional Sculptors Association)

 

OFFICES HELD

President Hunter Sculptors Inc.- 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016,2017,2018,2019
Vice President Hunter Sculptors Inc.- Inc. -2009-2010-
Assistant Secretary 2014

‘The Sculptors Society’ established 1951 NSW Australia
President: – 2005, 2006
Vice President: – 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
Secretary: – 2001
Committee: – 2007 Newcastle Branch Spokesman

Co Convener: – The Sculptors Network Newcastle 2002-2009

 

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