GARY BREEZE

LETTERING SCULPTOR

Brief biographical notes

Born in Essex in 1966, Gary studied Graphic Design at Norwich School of Art followed by an apprenticeship with the letter-carver and sculptor David Holgate. In 1992 he worked as assistant to Richard Kindersley before setting up his own workshop in London a year later.

Early commissions for public sculpture came through Art in Partnership in Scotland, including the Wisdom frieze for Glasgow High Court of Justiciary completed in 1995. Since then Gary has completed a number of major public works in Scotland including lettering at the New Scottish Parliament, Glasgow Caledonian University, and most recently, an oak seating installation at the State Hospital due to open in 2011.

Along with collaborative associations with a numerous architectural practises, Gary has also worked for many years with support from Memorials by Artists, completing two major commissions through them including the Bali Bombing Memorial at Horse Guards Road, London in 2005, project managed and assisted by Martin Cook; and Christ Church Cloister fountain in Oxford completed in 2010. Both projects involved the extensive design and re-landscaping of two important architecturally sensitive sites.

In 2002 Stuart Buckle joined the workshop on a two year Memorial Arts Charity apprenticeship funded by the Jerwood Foundation, and his natural skill has been an invaluable element of the workshop ever since.

Other important commissions have come through his long term association with the New Art Centre who gave Gary his first major solo exhibition in 2004, and his curatorial debut with Stone Riddles in 2008.

Gary has always exhibited widely and was awarded the first Jerwood Contemporary Makers prize in 2008. That same year he won the prestigious Leverhulme Trust award for a twelve month artist residency at the University of Southampton's department of Archaeology.

Gary's work is in many major collections, and his commissioned work can be seen throughout the UK but most notably at: the Glasgow High Court of Justiciary; Little Sparta; Greenwich Millennium Gardens; the Imperial War Museum London; the New Scottish Parliament; the University of Southampton; Romsey town centre; Southampton city centre; Westminster Abbey; Glasgow Caledonian University; Christ Church, Oxford; Eton rowing lake; Chatsworth Gardens; and The Victoria and Albert Museum.