David Gross: Faces - a statement by the artist

The faces shown here - all sold on the first day of the Affordable Art Fair in March 2007 - were created between 1993 and 1995. The lime wood all came from the same tree, which stood on a Victorian terraced street in the Ashbrooke area of Sunderland and was over two hundred years old when felled. The oak came from a sawmill in Medomsley, near Consett, County Durham.

Since their inception, the faces have been on display in the open air at Kielder Castle, Northumberland, at the Northern Centre for Contemporary Art, Sunderland, and at the Rufford Country Park in Nottinghamshire. All David's work is treated against woodworm and can be sited indoors or out. Indoors, David's 'Faces' will not crack, but the wood may curl slightly ie the face will curl back a little. The artist will advise on maintenance according to planned location of work. David usually fits bolts and ropes inside each Face, so they can be hung if preferred.

Over the past twenty years, David has created a total of 18 faces, all different in materials, dimensions, features and expression. He plans to make at least a few more, as he is still exploring various ideas with each Face, but he is not interested in mass production, so overall numbers will remain very limited.

Smiling face - SOLD (lime - width 80cm, height 120cm, depth 60cm) Face with graffiti by the artist - SOLD (lime - width 70cm, height 120cm, depth 65cm)	Mirror face - SOLD (oak with mirror inserts - width 60cm, height 110cm)
	Left: ready for delivery Above: all five original faces on display at the Northern Centre for Contemporary Art.

Commissioning new work

David currently has some new faces available, please contact me for images. You can also commission a new face, either by giving David free rein with the expression, features etc of the face, or by asking for a specific portrait based on meetings and photographs.