Alick Sweet | FireWorks Gallery

Artist Tabs

Selected works

FW19586 Eight (Isle of dogs)	FW19587 Nine (Isle of dogs)	FW19590 Twelve (Isle of dogs)
FW19591 Thirteen (Isle of dogs)	FW19593 Fifteen (Isle of dogs)	FW19594 Sixteen (Isle of dogs)
FW19596 Eighteen (Isle of dogs)	FW19597 Nineteen (Isle of dogs)	FW19598 Twenty (Isle of dogs)
FW19600 Twenty-two (Isle of dogs)	FW19601 Twenty-three (Isle of dogs)	FW19602 Twenty-four (Isle of dogs)
FW19604 Twenty-six (Isle of dogs)	FW19605 Twenty-seven (Isle of dogs)	FW19642 Twenty-eight (Isle of dogs)

Pages

Bio & CV

Born: 1947 Yealmpton UK

Alick is a Brisbane based artist who has won several major awards for painting, sculpture and drawing. Timber, stone, steel, bronze and paint are used to create free standing objects, wall reliefs and installations. During the installation process, where the compositions grow and become site specific, the realms of sculpture, drawing, painting, design and carpentry converge and cohabit. This method of working allows the artist’s keen interest in construction as with as composition to develop. Colour adds a dramatic element to the work and helps amplify the dynamics of the form; sometimes colour occurs incidentally through the addition of component parts simply by the application of paint. Alick’s works are held in numerous private and public collections nationally and internationally.

View 2021 Finals Frenzy Live Ladder exhibition list here

View 2020 Isle of Dogs exhibition list and video here

Story/Statement

Alick Sweet’s sculptural pieces emerge from an understanding, appreciation and investigation of structure – the built form – sold, robust, connected and fixed. Within a figurative framework, abstract considerations push and pull at each other – drawn together by incise line work – differentiated by material massing and textual variation – with colour used as a final surface and layer, to gather, highlight or disguise these compositions.
A rich colour palette, subtle humour and continuing investigation of materials and off-beat combinations have been key players in the recent works of Alick Sweet. With a nod to elements of nostalgia, the tribal manifestations of sporting culture and a long withstanding engagement with the marine world, the works exist as cultural motifs that locate them in the day-to-day – sculptural pieces created and duly inhabiting the visual world of Alick Sweet.

Michael Eather from Studio Works 2 2019

Isle of Dogs 2020 - View exhibition here
Brisbane artist Alick Sweet presents a new sculptural installation of his loveable and quirky dogs. An impressive grouping of 30 mounted timber dog ‘busts’ are installed on a large circular plinth alongside matching studio photographic prints. Working from the universal truism principle that everyone has a favourite dog, many of their inherent dog characteristics are brought out through the artist’s witty use of colour, form and design.

So, as much as Alick Sweet’s sculptural pieces are about the ‘nature’ of animals- in this case dogs- they also emerge from an acute understanding and appreciation of the artist’s core building principals. Within the figurative framework we see abstract considerations such as texture and colour push and pull at each other. To emphasise the individual characteristics of each dog the installation is accompanied by four photographic prints from Alick’s studio in Spring Hill where the artist has humorously arranged the dogs as if gathered in a canine choir.
Isle of Dogs, like the animated film title, is almost theatrical, with its circus style viewing platform allowing viewers to wander, admire or perhaps pat each hound at will!

Home sewn numbers 2019
Back when we were playing AFL football at State school, we would all take our guernseys home for each family to sew our own respective numbers on. This work reflects the no frills, home grown nature of Australian team sport and the diverse characters and personalities that we are able to bring together.

Stand-Out numbers 2019
Looking at the football on TV or when I see it live, I become attuned to the numbers and colours of our stand out players. I’m attracted to the diversity of talent and personality these numbers embody. Here we see a couple of my favourites from various clubs.

On Reflection, Adam Goodes 2019
Adam Goodes wore number 37 for Sydney Swans. He remains one of their all-time great players and a terrific ambassador. He was subsequently awarded Australian of the Year. With all the hysteria over his behaviour, character and identity, on reflection he really should be awarded another one!

FINALS FRENZY 2018 - View exhibition works here
A new installation, Finals Frenzy is an energetic collection of brazenly painted fish shaped wall sculptures individually themed to represent all 18 ALF teams. Art and footy have never had a visual merger like this!

ASSEMBLY LINES 2015 - View exhibition here
Assembly Lines features, alongside the mounted aeroplanes, new sculptural forms of the kangaroo – including the towering, almost three metre high A Kangaroo – and dog. The exhibition highlights the progression of Alick’s fish and turtle studies, which continue to explore colour, shape and line.

AEROPLANES 2014-15
The single aeroplanes (A Plane, 2014-5) have cubist qualities in their simultaneous presentation of the fuselage in both profile and section. Paint and intersecting straight lines create highlights but then confuse the eye which reads the simplicity of the construction within their abstract complexities. They crowd the wall like an overrun airspace - yet, as a group, they break the wall into a pattern that is dynamic and visually arresting.
Courtesy of Louise Martin-Chew, Alick Sweet: Assembly Language 2015

SWIM SCHOOL & SALTWATER SERIES 2013-14
Sweet's Swim School series, 2013-14, consists of two-dimensional fish and stingrays, which are smaller, manageable works. These began as a change from the rigours of life-size three-dimensional timber horses and oversized kangaroos. The constructed compositions are designed to stand alone as a single object, or as part of an assembled group, or a larger installation. His exhibition BLOCK WORK 2014, featured loggerhead turtles as well.

Courtesy of the Artist & FireWorks Gallery

ALICK SWEET

Born: 1947 Yealmpton UK

EDUCATION

Master of Creative Arts James Cook University

Bachelor of Art (Fine Art) Griffith University

Bachelor of Education Queensland University of Technology

Diploma of Art Queensland College of Art

Diploma of Teaching Brisbane College of Advanced Education

Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Griffith University

Trade Certificate Central Technical College Brisbane

EXHIBITIONS—SOLO

2024 Yellow Meadow FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2020 Isle of Dogs FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2015 Assembly Lines FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2014 BLOCK WORK FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2013 Swim School FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2009 Christina Mitchell Gallery

2008 Christina Mitchell Gallery

2003 Flying Objects Southbank Campus of Griffith University

2001 Flying Objects White Box Gallery Gold Coast

1995 Michael Burke Gallery Brisbane

1995 The Gallery Canberra Grammar School ACT

1994 Perc Tucker Regional Gallery Townsville

1992 Ipswich City Council Regional Art Gallery Ipswich

1990 Roz MacAllan Gallery Brisbane

1988 Roz MacAllan Gallery Brisbane

1985 Michael Milburn Galleries Brisbane

1980 Mount Gravatt CAE Brisbane

1978 Queensland College of Art Gallery Brisbane

EXHIBITIONS—GROUP (SELECTED)

2023 Evidence of Scale III: Drawing & Sculpture, FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2023 Teneriffe Festival, Brisbane

2022 Evidence of Scale II: Drawing & Sculpture, FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2021 Evidence of Scale, FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2020 Twelve Artists, FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2020 Twelve Ways, FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2019 Sculpturors Exposed, Pine Rivers Art Gallery

2019 Tattersall's Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane

2019 Matches 6: Three clusters FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2018 Welcome TWO (Thompson Street) FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2016 Second Nature FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2016 Second Nature Merricks House Art Gallery Victoria

2014 Melbourne Art Fair Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne

2014 Asia Contemporary Art Show Conrad Hong Kong

2014 Cross Over Merricks House Art Gallery Victoria

2009 Sculptors Queensland Brisbane

2009 Construct - Contrive - Construe Logan Art Gallery Logan City

2008 Fish and Chips Christina Mitchell Gallery Brisbane

2007 Sculptors Queensland Brisbane

2006 Sculptors Queensland Brisbane

2005 Sculpture Maria Perides Gallery Brisbane

2005 Christmas Exhibition Maria Perides Gallery Brisbane

2004 Sculpture Maria Perides Gallery Brisbane

2004 Christmas Exhibition Maria Perides Gallery Brisbane

2004 The collectables exhibition Queensland Craft Council Gallery Brisbane

2003 Sculpture Maria Perides Gallery Brisbane

2003 Christmas Exhibition Maria Perides Gallery Brisbane

2002 Australian Artists Working Within the Traditions of Sculpture Maria Perides Gallery Brisbane

2002 Christmas Exhibition Maria Perides Gallery Brisbane

2000 Artists Who Teach Rockhampton Art Gallery

2000 Society of Sculptures Gold Coast

1999 The Home Office - The Contemporary Art and Design Gallery Brisbane

1999 Fish The Contemporary Art and Design Gallery Brisbane

1998 Carnival of the Animals Flinders Gallery Townsville

1998 Flight The Contemporary Art and Design Gallery Brisbane

1997 Dogs Exhibition The Contemporary Art and Design Gallery Brisbane

1997 Dolls and Other Objects Palma Rosa Gallery Brisbane

1996 Downlands College Exhibition Toowoomba

1996 Gold Coast International Sculpture Award

1995 Canberra National Sculpture Forum 95 Canberra

1995 Fine Art collaborative exhibition QCA Gallery Brisbane

1995 Downlands College Exhibition Toowoomba

1995 Michael Bourke Gallery Brisbane

1994 Sculpted Wood Craft Council of Queensland Brisbane

1994 Hanoi/Brisbane Exchange Project Hanoi Vietnam

1994 Hanoi/Brisbane Exchange Project Griffith University Brisbane

1992 New Art Six Profiles in Contemporary Australian Art MOCA

1992 View to a Room Crafts Council of Australia Brisbane

1992 Society of Sculptors Queensland -Brisbane

1990 Downlands College Toowoomba

1990 Into Space: The Language of Sculpture Travelling Exhibition Queensland Art Gallery

1990 McWhirters Art Space Brisbane

1990 Society of Sculptors Gold Coast

1990 Caloundra Art Gallery Work Highly Recommended

1988 Artists as Designers- Roz MacAllan Gallery Brisbane

1988 Art as Furniture French Pavilion EXPO Brisbane

1988 Staff Exhibition Queensland College of Art MOCA

1988 Downlands College ExhibitionToowoomba

1988 Remm Exhibition McWhirters Art Space Brisbane

1988 Not Another Archibald Roz MacAllan Gallery Brisbane

1988 Society of Sculptors Gold Coast

1987 Society of Sculptors Gold Coast

1986 The Space Within St John’s Cathedral Brisbane

1985 Staff Exhibition - Queensland College of Art - Brisbane City Hall 1976 Victor Mace Gallery Brisbane

1985 Eight Bells Gallery Surfers Paradise

1984 Western Exhibition- Society of Sculptors Queensland Brisbane

1984 Staff Exhibition Queensland College of Art College Gallery Brisbane

1983 Eight Bells Gallery Surfers Paradise

1983 The Space Defined St John's Cathedral Brisbane

1982 Community Arts Centre Brisbane (Drawing)

1982 Eight Bells Gallery Surfers Paradise

1982 Community Arts Centre Brisbane (Sculpture)

1982 The Gallery Palm Beach Queensland

1982 Queensland Art Gallery Small Sculpture

1981 The Sculpture Centre Gallery - The Rocks

1981 Eight Bells Gallery Surfers Paradise

1980 Schonell Theatre Gallery Brisbane (Gasteen Williams and Sweet) Paddington Gallery Brisbane

1980 Kelvin Grove CAE Brisbane

1980 Eight Bells Gallery Surfers Paradise

1980 Queensland Art Gallery Small Sculpture

1979 Cintra House Gallery Brisbane

1979 Eight Bells Gallery Surfers Paradise

1978 Eight Bells Gallery Surfers Paradise

1978 Cintra House Gallery Brisbane (Fourteen large works)

1978 Eight Bells Gallery Surfers Paradise

1978 Queensland Art Gallery Small Sculpture

1977 Victor Mace Gallery Brisbane

PUBLICATIONS

FireWorks Gallery (2016) Assembly Lines

Bowden Jim (2008) The Timber Forestry News Issue 23 7-4-08 Page 11

Brody Jim (1988) "Art and Technology" In T SN1 1 Video Production June

Brown Phil (1997) "Hounds of Silence" in the Brisbane News 25 June

Coulter-Smith Graham and Follent Sarah (eds) (1988) Eyeline: East Coast Contemporary Visual Arts Issue Six Brisbane: Queensland Artworkers Alliance

Drury Nevill (ed) (1992) New Art Six Sydney: Craftsman House Dairy Nevill (1993) New Sculpture Sydney: Craftsman House

Garlick Grace (1999) "Office Works" in The Courier-Mail 18 July p 33

Hawley Janet (1993) "Shape of the New" in The Sydney Morning Herald

Magazine Good Weekend 12 June p 22

Hartnett Dorothy (1996) "Forms Entwined" Published by Pangezza Studio Brisbane P136/137

Martin Jill (1998) "Animal Magnetism" in The Townsville Bulletin 17 July p 17

O'Connor Gerry (1998) "Flights of Fantasy" in The Courier-Mail 30 September p 43

Parrington Drena (1996) "A Gift Horse" in The Gold Coast Bulletin 16 November p 14

Philp Angela (ed) Catalogue: Canberra National Sculpture Forum 95 Goanna Print Canberra ISBN 0646 237519

Pincott Karla (1994) "Wood So Simply Sweet" in The Townsville Bulletin 21 Jan p 7

Richards Michael (1990) "Art Review" in The Courier-Mail 11 April p 32

Seibert David (1988)-Art Line International Art News Vol 4 No 02 Sept p 3

Shillam Kath (1985) "Alick Sweet Exhibition" Queensland Society of Sculptors Newsletter Dec p 3

Treacy Megan (1988) "26 Birds 3 Dogs and A Foot" in Eyeline No 6 pp 32 - 33

Wallace Natasha (1994) "Carving It Up" in Brisbane Homes 04 October p 24

AWARDS & COMMISSIONS

2009 Runner Up The Shillam Sculpture Award

2007 Won The Shillam Sculpture Award

2006 Won The Shillam Sculpture Award

1997 Commissioned by the Brisbane City Council to construct a metal sculpture for Stanley Street Woolloongabba Brisbane

1997 Consultancy for the Brisbane City Council Woolloongabba project

1997 Consultancy for the Brisbane City Council Mt Gravatt Central Project

1996 Commissioned by the Southport RSL Memorial Club Inc (as Artist-in-Charge) to produce artworks for their new premises at Southport Win Gold Coast National Sculpture Award

1997 Appointed Director of the Palma Rosa Gallery Brisbane

1994 Commissioned by Haysom Architects to produce work for Brisbane Broncos RLFC

1993 Commissioned by Alexander Headlands Surf Life Saving Club

1991 Commissioned by the Prince Charles Hospital Brisbane for work in Mudanjiang China

1990 Sculpture acquired by the Stanthorpe Art Gallery

1989 Commissioned-by Grantley Cogzell Advertising Pty Ltd

1989 Commissioned by the Community Arts Centre Bribie Island Queensland

1988 City of Cairns Art Award (Sculpture)

1988 Gold Coast Sculpture Award

1988 Work purchased for the Queensland Art Gallery

1998 Work purchased by the Museum of Contemporary Art

1983 City of Brisbane Art Award (Painting)