Sculptors at the 2015 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show: Jean Sheridan

Born and educated in Melbourne, Jean has made her living through working in a number of different mediums: chainsaw carving (wood), concrete rendering and sculpting, casting, ceramics, mosaics, felt making, mural painting, print making, stencilling, drawings and water colours. In 1987 she graduated from Chisholm Institute of Technology, Caufield with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Sculpture.

 From Monash University in 1990 she graduated with a Diploma in Sculpture. For many years she worked with community groups and disengaged youth ("enjoying their trickiness"!). Since 2004, after completing a teaching degree, she ran the Arts/Technology Dept at a local government secondary college where she introduced many new artistic concepts resulting in a vibrant new faculty of very keen students. Jean continues her own private arts practice and giving demonstrations, as well as being involved in solo and group exhibitions and at the moment is taking a year off to explore the inspirations she has got from working with adolescents ... "Making art is exciting, you don’t know where you are going or where you will end up. Do I do art to say something to others or, to myself? All this is not resolved but I love doing it!" Jean has always been interested in the mother-earth figure, the creator, which she redefines through simple feminine images and floating symbols. "City Spirit" (ceramic slip, 45 x 15) 'Joyce' "Fish have always featured in my work, perhaps as a symbol of childhood innocence, the spiritual presence, the greatness that is nature?" This work (apx 2.2 metres tall) was sold to New York. Jean has been involved in so many different art forms during her life, most notably chainsaw sculpturing as she was the first Australian female chainsaw sculptor, performing at various workshops and demonstrations in schools and around Victoria.

She has had many solo and group exhibitions of her work both in Australia and Overseas, and no doubt will continue to do so. Do watch out for Jean this year at the MIFGS ASV Sculpture Exhibition, she will be there all five days generously demonstrating her sculpture skills in limestone.