Design and Art Australia Online

Sculptor, born in 1945. Ian Gentle studied a Diploma of Fine Art at the Alexander Mackie College of Art in 1976. In 1984 he went on to study the Basic Methods of Instruction at TAFE and a Certificate in Foundry Arts at the Wollongong Institute of Technology in 1993. In 1995 Gentle completed a Master of Creative Arts at Wollongong University, NSW. Gentle has taught at Wollongong University, Sydney University, National Art School, West Wollongong Technical College, Liverpool Technical College and Manly Evening College.

Gentle creates sculptures and wall works using branches from gum trees which he joins together to create abstracted representations of Australian animals. Gentle has exhibited extensively, including over fifteen solo exhibitions and in excess of thirty group exhibitions. Gentle has received many awards, grants and residencies, including Yirrkala, Arnhem Land Residency (1995), Bundanon Residency, NSW (1994), The King’s School Residency, NSW (1990), Half-Standard grant (1989), Bi-Centennial Project Artist, Wollongong City Gallery (1988), Randwick Art Prize (1984), Visual Arts Board Grant (1982), Contemporary Art Society, Adelaide Festival of Art (1982), Wollongong Art Purchase (1980), Blake Prize (1979), United Telecasters Sculpture Prize (1977) and the Ashfield Art Award (1975 & 1974).

Gentle’s work is represented in many public and private collections, including the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Art Gallery of South Australia, the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Artbank, Snowy Mountains Authority, Sydney College of the Arts, Sydney College of Advanced Education, Wollongong City Gallery, IBM Collection, Neiman Marcus (Dallas, USA), Taipei Fine Arts Museum (Taiwan), University of Wollongong and Griffith University.

Writers:

Stella Downer

Date written:

2007

Last updated:

2011