Peter Eugene Ball works with found objects, natural materials and artifacts - a piece of dramatically eroded driftwood, a shell, a cluster of old brass cow bells. These objects not only provide the materials but also the stimulus for his sculpture.
He handles this material intuitively, projecting onto it the images drawn from such influences as prehistoric, Romanesque and medieval art and architecture.
The art of Peter Eugene Ball echoes the consciousness of past ages set in the context of modern man. As such, his sculptures assume a timeless quality and the statements that he makes deal with experiences and mysteries like birth and death, the human condition and the divine. This he achieves through simplicity of form, his figures often little more than some sea-worn timber, transformed by a gesturing hand or a poignant facial expression. However, some sculptures are richly embellished, like a reliquary, which holds within it some sacred and precious thing.
There is no self-conscious element in this work, no concessions to fashion or superficial values and consequently his sculpture can be seen to make an impact whether it be placed in a cathedral, a modern interior or formal garden. That is not to imply that the imagery that he uses is vague or unchallenging, but reaffirms the unchanging nature of the message which the work conveys.
Peter was born in Warwickshire in 1943. He studied at Coventry College of Art. His work can be seen in many churches and cathedrals throughout England as well as numerous Private Collections.
