Northrop Frye Sculpture, (bronze) Darren Byers & Fred Harrison
Darren Byers has been building furniture and working with wood for over twenty years. For the past twelve years he has been sculpting and woodcarving.
Darren Byers’ sculptures are located in the United States, Canada and Europe.
DARREN BYERS
Sculptor / Dreamer
You can contact Darren at – 506- 433-0297
You can also visit the studio by chance or appointment.
73 Fitzgerald Rd. Wards Creek New Brunswick Canada E4E-4M6
Darren Byers, Bio photo by Phyllis Holmes
I have worked as a furniture maker for over thirty-five years and as a sculptor/woodcarver for the last twenty years. Inspiration comes from my surroundings, people and natural settings. Watching, as life continually transforms with light, time, and emotion. I am excited to be able to translate these feelings into sculpture, exploring the potential to relate the story through my craft. I feel constantly drawn to undertake “one of a kind” sculptures. I enjoy discovering the unexpected in the expected, asking questions and exploring new things that challenge and excite me as an artist.
I continue to work on private and public commissions, enjoying the freedom this life offers me to enjoy time with family and friends, to help within my community, contemplate life and react to what I feel passionate about.
I was awarded the 2011 New Brunswick Day Merit Award by Mayor Ralph Carr of Sussex on August 1st in recognition of outstanding contribution to the Province of New Brunswick. This was indeed an honour and I still haven’t found the words to describe my thankfulness.
Commissions and Competitions
1994, life-scale crucifix, cherry wood. This depiction of Christ on the cross won the Duffy Crowel award for ecclesiastical art. Since 1994,
2002, “ America’s Future” I began working together with John and Kathy Hooper, sculpting a large commission for a private school in Los Angles.
2002 -2008 created many pieces for Churches as well as numerous private commissions.
2008 – 2012. I continue to collaborate with Kathy Hooper on numerous projects, one of the largest of these being the John Peters Humphrey sculpture. We also worked together on a major restoration of John Hooper’s sculpture “Balancing” for the National Capital commission in Ottawa. This restoration process took over a year to complete. In the fall of 2011 we started the restoration of “Time Piece” for the city of Saint John. This was finished up and re-installed in May of 2012. In 2008 I also contributed to “The Encampment”, which was a large-scale participatory artwork housed on Major’s Hill Park in Ottawa from October 2-4.
2010 – 2012 I have been collaborating with, Fred Harrison creating bronze sculpture, the first of these projects was to honour all who have been killed or injured at work in the greater Saint John region. This piece was cast in bronze and was unveiled on April 28th, 2011 on the Worker’s International day of mourning. The second sculpture competition we won was a bronze sculpture of Northrop Frye unveiled July the 13th 2012. In addition to having a sculpture of Northrop Frye in Moncton, Victoria University in Toronto commissioned a copy with a few adjustments to be placed in front of the Northrop Frye hall on campus. Installed Oct 2012
2013- 2014 Fred & I created an abstract sculpture for a new condominium complex in Bedford Nova Scotia, installed fall of 2013. Another project that I was commissioned to create is a sculpture to remember the first Scottish settlers to the Campbellton area.
Galleries & Shows
My work is shown at Hooper Studios gallery Hampton.
I have been involved a group exhibition, featuring nineteen New Brunswick artists. We have shown in Saint John, Fredericton, Moncton and Halifax. It has been a pleasure working together with this group of talented and knowledgeable artist.