Sean Rice-Sculptor.

 Sean Brian Rice-A Sculptor And A Very Clever Man.

It is a rare occasion, that you see a Sean Rice sculpture, that is unless you are in The Metropolitan Cathedral up on Mount Pleasant, that Sean Rice's contemporary Arthur Dooley christened Paddy's Wigwam.
 Inside there are works by him. The Stations of the Cross.

I don't think of him as religious as Dooley in fact his work seems to be made up of more of devils and horned demons not angels. But he was commissioned by the architect Gibbard to decorate the interior with contemporary but religious relief.

Mr Rice has a way of expressing himself that at times may not be pretty, but always workmanlike and craftsmanlike.

His work always has a quality of manufacture, that astounds me. He was able to take metals mainly copper and bronze and transform it into movement with heat and the hammer by which he forged.

In doing so he also forged his reputation amongst people who know how difficult it is to acquire his skills, those that know are those who understand that these skills cannot be acquired overnight.
Instead it takes years, decades maybe to be able to make and cut a flat piece of copper and bend it, so as it looks like the lightest length of drape or ribbon billowing in the breeze. He made tough tensile metal flow like water. making an art of showing the flow of a welders torch as decoration. He poured in as much oxygen into that flaming torch as into his fertile mind that dreamt up the landscape where he frequented.

In reality he worked from a workshop so far removed from the glamour of his creations that, must have been, at time resembling the hobs of hell with fire and brimstone curdling in the red hot air.
This fiery world was where he was at home.

He loved the open air and his motorbike, going off on long journeys to the continent.

No-one has his style even though some foolish writers of the recent past lump him and Arthur Dooley together.

Dooley's sculpture was in another league, four levels below that of Sean Rice. Where most of Dooley's work is lumpen and flat lacking movement The work of Sean Rice rides.

They should not be viewed in tandem. They are chalk and cheese and I would prefer Cheddar.

So if you have a piece of work by Mr Sean Brian Rice give me a call and let me know how much you want for it.