Tony O'Grady

Ōtautahi Christchurch based artist Tony O'Grady has a rich artistic career spanning more than twenty five years. Throughout this time, he has passionately crafted sculptures and paintings in various mediums such as stone, wood, clay, plaster, concrete, wax, and bronze. This range of mediums exhibits a remarkable versatility in his art practice.

 O’Grady's true passion lies in the tactile art of sculpting, particularly in the intricate craft of carving. His ardour is evident in his adept exploration of concepts like mass, weight, and balance, which result in a complex interplay between positive and negative space. These artistic investigations imbue his creations with a profoundly personal and spiritual essence.

 In the past five years, O'Grady has leaned towards sculpting in bronze and marble. These two mediums have resulted in smaller works. Although most of his work is focused on figurative sculptures, he also explores abstraction, finding inspiration in the legacies of modernist sculptors like Constantin Brancusi, Henry Moore, and Isamu Noguchi.

O'Grady has left his artistic mark through participation in numerous solo and group exhibitions. In addition, he shares his expertise by instructing at stone sculpture workshops.

 “I aim to create artworks which feel monumental and powerful, no matter what size. I hope my work shows something unique, individual, and even uplifting.” _Tony O'Grady