This month we're speaking with Wednesday AM student Nicky McGinn, who has been a wonderful part of our creative community at TBSSS for the past year. Our student profile series has been great way to learn more about everyone's inspirations, backgrounds, and works, so please get in touch if you'd like to be featured!

What brought you to TBSSS?

I grew up in Canberra and learnt of Tom Bass from visiting the National Library and falling in love with the enormous bronze frieze above the entrance doors [Lintel Sculpture, 1968] and the giant angel [Ethos, 1961] standing guard outside the Theatre. Years later, while living in Newtown, I stumbled across the studio in Erskineville and knew one day I had to study here.

What do you do when you’re not at the studio?

When I’m not sculpting I work as an Interior Designer at my own practice, Palomar Designs.

Tell us about what you’re working on currently…

Currently I’m doing a 6 day intensive at the school with a visiting professional sculptor from Carrara, Italy. I’ve selected a beautiful creamy veined piece of stone that I’m attempting to do justice to.

What are some sculptors and sculptures that inspire you?

I’m inspired by modernist sculptors like Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Noguchi and an Australian artist called David Tolley who did these fantastic sculptures in Canberra Park which, like Tom Bass, always intrigued me as a child.

What do you love about sculpting?

Sculpting is an amazing outlet to release stress, and once that goes, the creativity seems to come. I love the feeling of immersion and freedom that you get when you’re carving a piece of stone. It’s physically demanding, tactile and earthy... and in the end you get a three dimensional object that will hopefully bring joy to someone.

Thanks for chatting with us Nicky!

Pictured above (clockwise from top left): Nicky carving her current marble sculpture; Rolly (alabaster); Rocky (soapstone); David Tolley's Play Sculpture, 1967.