Desmond why do you do this art work ?

 

John, at the age of 73 I have had two strokes, and the last one was quite serious resulting in a major heart bypass operation. I felt while I was in hospital, if you can come through something as serious as that, you can go on to do anything!

 

I find it is so important to have something to do, and this art work sculpture has in fact always been something I wanted to do. I used to play the piano but as one of my hands seem to have 'seized up' even though I can still play a little, I now put all my energies into this copper and brass welded sculpture.

 

Look John, I know of six people around my age who when they stopped working they did nothing, and within a short time they had all died.

 

I find I am now so excited, and ready to do this art work that I am up early, sometimes at 5 am, have breakfast and into the studio to start work. The danger is that if you have worked for others and have had your working day all planned for you, and you don't have your retirement planned as some of my late friends didn't, they did nothing, and the result was they quickly died.