Talented sculptor’s new home

Deafblind Christchurch sculptor Donald Gibson is happiest when he is working on his latest artwork.

He creates his sculptures through touch and feel and his favourite medium is Mt Somers stone.

Donald is well known in the New Brighton area – he’s been sculpting in the neighbourhood for 27 years.

Many of his artworks are displayed in the seaside suburb and at the South Brighton Sculpture Garden, nestled in the sand dunes.

His studio is now based at the New Brighton Community Garden where he creates his pieces through touch and feel.

Recently Donald needed to move his studio, including two heavy Mt Somers stone sculptures, from a temporary home at New Brighton School to the community garden because the school is undergoing some construction work.

But how do you transport two huge art pieces weighing tonnes to a new spot around the corner?

It was no trouble for the Citycare Property Open Spaces team with their Hiab crane.

“It was great hearing Donald chipping, sanding and grinding away at his sculpture and the happiness it brought to him,” says Lin Klenner, from the New Brighton Community Gardens Trust.

“Without Citycare Property’s help this would not have been possible,” she says.

The trust provided new space for Donald and reached out to Citycare Property to get him set up.

“We have been really deeply touched by the help you gave in enabling Donald to move to the garden,” CCS Disability Action Canterbury Service Coordinator Adult Team Mandy Price says.

“It is rare that we encounter such generosity, with an offer to help actually delivered with action. You are all heroes,” she says.

New sculptures are slowly but surely taking shape in the garden.