Location: Mexico
Edward Swift was born in the Big Thicket Area of Eastern Texas. He lived for many years in New York City where he exhibited his work at the 2/20 Gallery owned by Miguel Herrera. Currently he lives in San Miguel de Allende Mexico and shows his work at Gallery 8A Fabrica la Aurora. He is the author of 8 novels and a memoir.
Edward Swift nacio en the Big Thicket de Tejas. El vive por 40 anos en la ciudad de Nueva York donde expuso su obra en la Galeria 2/20 de Miguel Herrera. Atualmente vive en San Miguel de Allende, Mexico donde expone su obra en Galeria 8A, Fabrica la Aurora. Él es el autor de 8 novelas y un libro de memorias
Wall boxes made of wood, cheese cloth, buttons and polymer clay. Each approximately 12" x 12"
Cajas para la pared: Materiales: madera, manta de cielo, butones, barro polimer
27 in the series. Most of these guardian figures are 6 feet tall or more. They are constructed of a papermache paste over wood and wire. They have faces on both sides. The symbols inscribed on the shafts are not meant to mean anything and yet they should suggest everything. The figures are painted with many layers of acrylic and then scrubbed with a scrub brush, or in some cases washed down with a garden hose. The papermache is made to take a lot of rough treatment. It is a formula that was used by the Louisiana artist, Clyde Connell.
These are painted with gesso The lines are incised into the paper mache.
This is a series of figurative sculptures made from Papier-mâché over wire, wood and old shoes. The Papier-mâché is in two forms: a paste that is much like clay, and a mixture of large pieces of colored paper. I make it from newspapers and carpenter's glue. The title of the series refers to an idiomatic expression in English. "You don't have a leg to stand on." Meaning: to be in a situation where you cannot prove something. If you don't have a witness, you don't have a leg to stand on.
My mother used the expression a little differently. She would say: "I'm a tired old worn out widow with only one leg to stand on." Meaning she was down to her last option, or she was just hobbling along as best she could. Incidentally, she said this with serious tones of irony. It always made us laugh.
Another source of inspiration for this series came from the San Miguel de Allende artist Nicholas Cuellar. When I visited his studio about 15 years ago he practically forced me to buy a drawing. I bought two. In one of them there is a man standing on one leg. It is a strange and haunting figure.
I am nearing completion and afterward I plan to return to smaller figures. The ones in this series are 2 to 3 feet tall.
A few years ago I created a Muscle Man series made of wood, fiber and doll arms. The figures are about a foot tall and hang on the wall. The series was inspired by my gym friends, one of whom often wore a flower on his work out clothes to soften his rather formidable appearance. Every figure in the series was sold.
Various sculptures that do not fit into a series.
about 6 feet tall
about 6 inches tall
about 4 feet tall
Photo of the Artist by Russell Monk
Paper and polymer clay, about 5 inches
about 5 inches tall paper and polymer clay
about 5 inches. wood, fiber, acrylic paint
about 6 feet tall, wood, paper, acrylic, found objects
Wood, bottlecap, acrylic paint
“Hungry People Singing for their Supper”
paper mache over wood and wire
These are wall pieces. They are about 2.5 to 3 feet tall. Constructed of paper cement over wood and wire with polymer clay and acrylic paint. A few objects such as buttons and rusty hinges. They will be shown at The Chapel of Jimmy Ray in San Miguel de Allende on Feb 11 along with the work of Sheridan Sansegundo and Anado McLauchlin
Figures made of paper mache cement over wood and wire. Some are painted. After 4 exhibitions of large work I am very happy to be working small again. These figures represent work I started a year ago and am just now finishing. More are on the way.
100 figures in progress. Planning an exhibition called the Upside Down World. All figures will fly upside down on string. I have not decided how I will finish them. Perhaps I’ll paint them, or leave them black and white or in a natural state with the process showing.
100 figuras en progreso. Planificación de una exposición llamada El mundo al revés. Todas las figuras volarán al revés en cuerdas. No he decidido cómo las terminaré. Tal vez las pinte, o las deje en blanco y negro o en un estado natural con el proceso que se muestra.
“sin titulo/without title”
“detail”
“sin titulo/without title”
“sin titulo/without title”
“sin titulo/without title”
“sin titulo/without title”
“sin titulo/without title”
“sin titulo/without title”
“Guardian”
“Guardians”
“Head shot”
“Guardian/Vigilante”
“Head shot”
“3 Guardians on Patrol”
“Head shot”
“2 Guardians on Duty”
“Head shot”
“Guardians”
“Head shot”
“Headshot”
“Guardian/Vigilante”
“Head shot”
“Group Scene”
“Unpainted, natural state”
“Head shot”
“Head shot”
“Head shot”
“detail of shoe”
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“group”
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“Persephone in Hades”
“Persephone in Hades”
“Alien in a Party Dress”
“Black and White figures”
“Portrait, Edward Swift”
“Man”
“Friends”
“The gathering”
“Ceremonial Walking Stick”
“Ceremonial Walking Stick detail”
“A man and his hat”
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“invitation”
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“work in progress”
“Angel”
“Angel”
“Group”
“man”
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“upside down”
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