Eashit (Aged)

Silvern wall of rough Manx stone, supporting a rust-pitted, horizontally mounted gear-train, ingeniously tied to a strategically inclined square pine post: single rounded iron eyelet, pierced by a loosely hanging loop of mottled agricultural steel: livestock resistant five-bar wooden barrier, anchored to a gable wall and post, by complex set of ties, coils, knots and Turk’s-head loose-ends invented by the sculptor with dexterity, flair and good humour.
(Left click on ‘eyelet’ to enlarge)

Willie Leece and the 'Art of Picasso'

Pablo Picasso

Figure

Wire and wooden spool

12.5 x 3.75 x 2.25 inches

1931.

Willie Leece is in fine company with his multi medium rural sculptures which echo aspects of the twentieth centuries best known artist - Pablo Picasso.

Picasso created Figure (left), seven years before Willie was borne. Picasso produced many sculptures made from similar materials to those which Willie employed with humour and flair. To the best of my knowledge Willie remained an "Agricultural Abstractionist" throughout his artistic life, whereas Picasso researched every aspect of art, with the possible excepting of shark pickling and cow sawing, which in Tony Blair's 'Cool Britannia' era became all-the-rage through the magic of marketing and hot air.

Chionnal Nevleighoil (Unlawful Assembly)

Mixed media arrangement employing; steel, wood, stone, twine and flora.

Cross-hatched assemblage of rust pitted steel pipes and angle-iron united by ties of neatly arranged aged twine displaying a range of unique 'knots' and loops with weather tassel-like ends, a strategically placed white quartz corner piece, all set in a Spring 'May Bush' backdrop.

(Left click on 'Buds' to enlarge)

Bane-ghial (Pure White)

Backward leaning pine stake set in proud isolation amidst clumped tussock and marsh grasses: Post hugging attire of brilliant white windblown plastic sheeting, featuring a loosely torn ragged neckline, and subtly stained waistline with rusted barbed wire’ belt’ and ‘train’.

(Left click on ‘Belt' to enlarge)

Fastagh (Tight Lipped)

Lightly scarred and sun-silvered pine post sporting short-sighted crusty knots: failed white twine with an overlay of faded synthetic cord looped around rusting fence wire and a loose, but effective, pinkish gag: topknot of fine green growth that accentuates the smooth-skinned war wound above right side knot socket: All in all, the artwork carries its age well.

(Left click on 'Topknot' to enlarge image)

Enney (Aquaintanceship)

A long-standing wooden post, bleached silver in the summer sunshine, accommodating a colony of mixed microbial life and cool climate mosses; aged silver-grey synthetic binding in close contact with wood and galvanised steel fencing wire, displaying secure reef-knot dependability and a passing interest in a loose granny knot.

(Left click on 'Granny Knot' to enlarge image)