ONCE UPON A TIME

In ‘Once Upon a Time’ Angus Wilson creates a symbiotic partnership between his background as a local farmer and his passion for the arts.

This panoramic, floating sculptural installation, completed in 2019, takes us on a whimsical journey to the past in repurposed old cars and trucks which defy logic as they levitate on massive steel posts installed here in the front paddock of Angus’s farm, Nungwai.

Curious scavenger birds, constructed from found objects and agricultural flotsam and jetsam, evoke feelings of past and present as they hover precariously to investigate what may be for the taking from the iconic vehicles.

Adding to the fantasy is the text, ‘Once Upon a Time’, painted by Goondiwindi State High School students and Artist in Residence Sarah Scully in moody shades of blues and purples. The text narrates the surreal rustic sculpture against a western sky to underscore a community collaboration. 

Ideas for Wilson's sculpture art come from many places. Adjusting as he goes Wilson interprets ideas developed in his mind as they come to fruition as original artworks. Wilson says “not being precise with the art is good with me, however much of my work requires a high degree of engineering ability. To make sure strength and structure is adequate. And coming from a farming background, a lot of these engineering skills are second nature including the use of power tools in the workshop”.

“I always like to challenge myself, trying new things… I create my work as I go, changing design and methods in bed when I should be fast asleep. Never sure of the final result until I have arrived”.