The Tall Guardian

Shona Nunan

1990

Red gum wood

300 x 10 x 10cm

catalogue numberSNS74

‘The Tall Guardian’ came from the days when I would work with whatever material I could find. My work was particularly elongated at that stage, so when I found an old red gum post lying in the garden, I was excited. It is 3 metres long and some areas are very thin where I carved the calves of the legs, so a metal bar was drilled into her to prevent her from breaking. I was never very practical with my materials and that is why I turned more and more to bronze as it is far more forgiving of my follies. I love this piece. She stands presently in my father’s studio in Australia where she is ‘on guard’.

in the collection of the artist