Franklinford - Issa Ouattara Sculpture Garden

Issa Ouattara is a contemporary sculptor and designer based at the site of the historic 1850s Methodist Church.

Come for an artistic, recreational or historic journey...

Unique handcrafted sculptures and sculpt-art commissions welcomed.

In his contemporary sculptural expression Issa draws on his West African and artistic heritage and his life experience to create large figurative sculptures and functional sculpt-artworks which evokes strong and positive feelings. The integration of the old/ancient and new/now is subconscious but clearly present. The masculine media of mild steel is transformed to the feminine by Issa flowing forms including soft dynamic curves.

While each piece is deeply personal embodying a part of Issa's essence, Issa hopes that his art can speak to its audience without accompanying narrative.........

Opening Hours:

Open when open sign displayed and by appointment.
(Usually) open 9am to 4pm daily

Location: Find on google maps using "Issa Ouattara Sculpture"

About the Artist

A talented autodidact... At 42, Issa's incredible smile and generosity of spirit belie his difficult start to his life. As a child of a broken family in the Ivory Coast in West Africa, Issa had no education and became homeless as a young adolescent. He was able to find a job as an apprentice to repair refrigerators and slept under his work bench. Then aged 15 his life was changed forever when he met French Artist and Sculptor Michelle. Michelle had fallen in love with Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and had lived there for most of her adult life with her Ivorian husband. She soon became Issa's mentor and shared with him her passion and skills for sculpture and creative arts. Issa became more than an assistant and developed his own unique style working with his favorite metal media.

Sadly, Michelle passed away suddenly when Issa was just 21. This left Issa distraught because she had become a source of constant artistic and spiritual inspiration and encouragement. After Michelle died, her family and friends encouraged Issa not to give up but to be inspired by Michelle and pursue his artistic endeavors with the use of her workshop. With their support, Issa's first solo exhibition was held and was a success. After that, he exhibited regularly in Cote d'Ivoire and believes that Michelle's spirit lives on in his creations.

In 2006 he met an Australian doctor (Monica) who was working in Cote d'Ivoire to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic and life took another twist, with his partnership taking him first to Cape Town, South Africa to join Monica and support her in her work there, then to create their global home in a converted 160 year old church and establish a studio and sculpture garden near Daylesford in Victoria, Australia. Beautiful daughters Angela and Sophie also joined their journey along with Issa's teenage sons' Michel and Emmanuel.

Issa has won a number of prizes for his sculptures and spends most of his time in his Central Victorian studio in Australia. Wherever Issa travels he participates in group and solo exhibitions and also seeks to create new artistic collaborations and foster young talent. Issa loves to be able to showcase sculptures and other artforms in a variety of settings and make art accessible to the community and push boundaries in artistic expression and presentation.

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Location

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