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About Jack Smith

GRAHAM IBBESOn M.A. (R.C.A)

ARTIST STATEMENT

I have always tried to use humour as a tool to draw people into my work, to enable them to look at themselves through laughter. My work has changed over many years of moving forward through the creative landscape, however, my motivation remains the same. I am influenced by the absurdities of this life and the people who inhabit my world. The small, tiny things that make up the whole picture, hoping as always, that humour opens a path to the truth.

      Grahams Biography is available in hardback is available to purchase in our Online Store    

 

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Graham aged 4

 

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire Graham Ibbeson (known as the “The People's Sculptor”) has been a professional sculptor since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 1978. He has developed an international reputation exhibiting in Galleries throughout Europe, the USA, and Asia. Through his commissions and public work (over 30 public sculptures), Ibbeson has helped regenerate whole areas of cities and towns across the UK. Graham’s Laurel & Hardy (unveiled in Ulverston, Cumbria in April 2009) has already increased visitor numbers by 50% in less than a year according to the Ulverston tourism office, and his Eric Morecambe (unveiled by Her Majesty the Queen in 1999) has helped reshape the resort of Morecambe, bringing in tens of millions of pounds through extra visitor numbers (around a million pound in extra revenue from car parking fees was recorded within the first year).

Ibbeson’s ability to capture the essence of a character with warmth and humanity sets him apart from many other sculptors. He brings an element of understanding to his portraiture that’s deeper than just a likeness, his sculptures have soul, what he gives us is a unique glimpse into the characters of our peers and idols through his remarkable work, and a lasting legacy as the People’s Sculptor. Brian Elliott (Author).

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   Bronze Public   
Commissions

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NORTHAMPTON SCULPTURE (4metre high bronze on Westmorland Slate)


THOMAS CHIPPENDALE (Otley, Yorkshire)   
(7ft 6ins bronze on Yorkstone)


THE JIM MACFARLANE MEMORIAL SCULPTURE
(Conisbrough, Yorkshire)                                       
(2 life-size bronze figures)


SCALES OF JUSTICE (Middlesbrough)              
(3 life-size figures on Yorkstone)


MINERS MEMORIAL (Barnsley, Yorkshire)      
(3 life-size figures on granite) 


A WIFE ON THE OCEAN WAVES (Cardiff)                     
(Bronze life-size family)


THE FAIR MAID OF PERTH (Perth, Scotland)  
(life-size bronze figure)


WILLIAM WEBB ELLIS (Rugby)                         
(8ft bronze on Yorkstone)
KATE (Chesterfield)                                                 
(Life-size bronze)


RUN RUN RUNAWAY  (Chesterfield)                  
(2metre high bronze)


TIMOTHY HACKWORTH (Shildon, Co Durham)     
(Life-size bronze on Yorkstone)


ERIC MORECAMBE (Morecambe, Lancs)          
(A little above life-size figure in bronze)


THE LEEDS MILLENNIUM SCULPTURE         
(5 metre high Sculpture)


THE SPIRIT OF JARROW (Jarrow, Tyneside)   
(5 life-size bronze figures on stainless steel)


CARY GRANT (Bristol)                                           
(Life-size bronze)


REDCAR PANELS (Redcar, Cleveland)             
(Three 7 mtr long by 3.5mtr wide panels in stainless steel and bronze

 

PETER ROBINSON  (Castlereagh Town Hall)                                               
(life-size bronze portrait)


HUCKNALL MINERS MEMORIAL 
(Hucknall, Nottingham)
(twice life-size miner on 12 ft miners lamp in bronze)


SOUTH KIRKBY MINER (For South Kirkby & Moorthorpe Town Council) (life-size bronze miner)
WILLIAM WEBB ELLIS (for Menton, France)


( 4ft bronze figure commissioned as part of the 2008 Rugby world Cup)
BENNY HILL (for Southampton)                             
( life-figure in bronze) Work in progress  


LES DAWSON (for Lytham St Annes) 
(over life-size figure in bronze) 


LAUREL & HARDY (for Ulverston, Cumbria)
(life-size bronze figures)   


HAROLD (DICKIE) BIRD (for Barnsley)
(over life-size bronze figure)


FRED TRUEMAN (for Skipton)
(over life-size figure in bronze)   


2012 OLYMPIC HADLEIGH SCULPTURE
(a 5mtr high sculpture to commemorate The London 2012 Olympic Mountain Biking Competition)


DON REVIE for Leeds United
(8ft bronze portrait) 

    
DAVID WHITFIELD (for Kingston upon Hull)    
(life-size bronze portrait)   


THE CELEBRATION (West Bromwich)               
(3 1.25 life-size bronze portraits)
Work in progress


ARTHUR WHARTON (Rotherham)                                   
(3.5mtr high bronze)
Work in progress


OAKS MEMORIAL (Barnsley)                                                  
(3.5mtr high bronze)
Work in progress     

 

MORECAMBE & WISE (Blackpool)  
(1.25 life-size portrait in fibreglass) 

  

LAURIE CUNNINGHAM (Waltham Forest)
(1.25 life-size portrait in bronze)
                            
BIOGRAPHY (hardback)
(published by Pen & Sword 2012)        
                                                         a

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