Stephen Newby Stephen Newby was Sculpture 30 artist of the month in December 2015 and he is a well-known artist and sculpture with many public art pieces and sculpture regionally and nationally. He is best known for his work of “blowing metal” a patented method of literally inflating metal pieces. He developed this technique in November 1995 and patented it in 2001 and he’s been blowing up metal ever since. They developed Blown Metal™ as an alternative to traditional metal forming processes. It is a completely new way of cold forming pre-finished metal with vast potential for multiple applications and new methods of production. You can watch this method here!
Newby is potentially best known for his piece Halo in Trinity Square.
Designed by local artist, Steve Newby, the work called ‘Halo’ is a stunning gravity-defying spectacle stretching 27 -foot in the form of a loop, which by night is illuminated by colour changing fibre-optic lights.
The sculpture is a fitting link to the Town’s steel heritage and symbol of its post-industrial renewal, as Gateshead celebrates what is believed to be the UK’s biggest mixed-use town centre regeneration project outside London in recent years.
Hailed as the world’s largest structure made from inflated stainless steel, Halo is constructed entirely using the award-winning artist’s own unique method. Stainless steel is shaped by inflating and blowing, creating curves in reflective surfaces, which then appear kinetic and fluid. It is made up of around 330 individual inflated sections, linked together to form a spectacular 27-foot ring of billowing curves.
Artist and sculptor, Steve Newby said: “I am absolutely delighted to see my concept become a reality. It has been some years in planning, engineering and design. Technologically it’s moving the boundaries of this technique and its prominent gravity-defying character will, I hope, really add exhilaration to the overall development.”
The Halo project was commissioned by Trinity Square developers Spenhill in 2008 with a brief to create “a strong, iconic artwork that would integrate into the architecture of Trinity Square right in the heart of the town.” Newby’s idea for ‘Halo’, marking the region’s steel industry past with the circular ring as a ‘symbol of regeneration’, was picked from six potential proposals and the piece of public art was officially installed on 13th February.
Newby added: “It was really important to me that the construction took place here in Gateshead – it already feels like it is being born here and belongs here. This entire project is down to the work of skilled Gateshead craftsmen and it has set new standards in this particular field of engineering, which is a testament to the wonders we can do in this area.”
He is also responsible for several other widely recognisable pieces in the UK.
Cubes, Metrocentre, Gateshead UK – Stephen Newby
Garden Sphere, Gosforth UK – Stephen Newby
Water Sculptures, Bardsea UK, Stephen Newby
Those of you that ventured to Enchanted Parks in December 2015 may remember The Queen of Hearts piece; which certainly was a show stopper.
The Queen of Hearts – Stephen Newby
You can watch the piece Queen of Hearts in all its glory HERE!
He also had a fantastic piece at Enchanted Parks in 2012 called Blue Yonder.
Blue Yonder – Stephen Newby
And another equally as visually brilliant at Lumiere in 2013, called Infinity.
Infinity – Stephen Newby
In addition, Stephen is Internationally known and engages with a variety of projects and private commissions all over the world.
Balloons, Paris, France – Stephen Newby
He has most recently been working on a piece for the Amsterdam Light Festival and because we are lucky, we can have a sneaky peaky below!
Gosh….I find his pieces very special and we are very lucky, to have so much of his work in Gateshead! If you like Stephen’s work why not visit his Creative Business’s site Full Blown and get in touch! You’ll also find more examples of his work and a few interviews with Stephen about particular pieces.
The Culture Vulture NE 