Talented Wollongong artist Saxon Reynolds is turning old into new

Words Tanaya Joe Main Images Sarah West

Both a high school art teacher and full-time creative, Saxon Reynolds is making waves in both the local and international art community with his knack for building sculptures out of everyday items. By piecing together bits of machinery, collectables and antiques, he brings life to objects others would usually ignore, producing steampunk-inspired creations that explore topical current issues.

His passion for creativity blossomed at a young age, taking inspiration from both his father and grandfather’s love for collecting antiques and visual arts. “My father was a very good seascape painter and illustrator, so whenever he was explaining anything, he would sketch it up on paper or on the back of an envelope,” Saxon says.

Growing up and studying different styles of art, such as Cubism, Dadaism, assemblage and found-object art further encouraged the growth of his experimentation. Living in an environment with an abundance of abstract materials allowed Saxon’s talent to flourish, while further exploring his unique style. 

Working as a visual arts teacher further exposed Saxon to a wider variety of art, giving him the opportunity to fine tune his skills. Through his personal experiences with pop culture and the exploration of classical art, he incorporated these themes into his sculptures.

It was after the recent passing of his father that Saxon channeled his grief into his most recent exhibition Wunderkammer, which is currently on display at the Wollongong Art Gallery. These sculptures feel deeply personal, however, moving forward he’s hoping to create works that articulate and delve into ongoing issues in today’s current climate.

“With these new pieces, I am looking outward and not creating works as personal but more topical, regarding the problems and issues of the world that we all find ourselves currently experiencing,” explains Saxon.

So, what can we expect next? He’s currently in the initial stages of putting together a new solo exhibition which he’s been hinting about on social media. “I’ve been calling them the Pandora Series in my head, but I am still just figuring a lot of them out,” says Saxon. “The idea was to loosely use this myth as a starting point but leave the interpretation of what they are up to the viewer.” 

Upon further inspection, these antique wooden boxes distinguish themselves from his past works, filled to the brim with different bits and pieces that form visually striking contraptions, which draw you in and are hard to turn away from. The inspiration of ‘Pandora’s Box’ is evident when gazing at the perfectly entwined sculptures, each bit fitting together to convey the mysteries and curiosities hidden within.

Creating these pieces invade Saxon’s thoughts from dawn till dusk. “Weirdly, just before I go to sleep, I mentally put the sculptures together in my head and try to solve problems rotating them and focusing in on sections once my eyes are closed,” Saxon says. “It just something I’ve always done.”

The current pandemic and ongoing international issues have altered the way Saxon approaches new pieces. This has forced him to workout outside of his comfort zone and attempt a fresh take on how he presents his new ideas. “A lot of the news and media is so negative now, and it just seems to be one thing after another,” he says. “This, at times, feeds into the concept behind these new works but I have struggled to stay motivated, at least recently.” 

Although he’s currently navigating this fresh style of ideas, his previous works managed to catch the attention of American author Art Donovan – a personal inspiration to Saxon, who had invited him to be a part of an exhibition in New York. Art had published the book The Art of Steampunk, which Saxon felt a deep connection to. 

“It was this book that I remember studying and thinking, ‘I could do this!’” says Saxon. “Within a few months, I was meeting artists from this book and having drinks in the Hamptons at 2am at Donovan’s home with some of my favourite artists… it was a very surreal experience.”

Saxon’s life has revolved around art, and his huge amount of experience is evident in the way he carefully conceptualises and brings to life his detailed works. Literally turning one person’s trash into another’s treasure. It’s a long process of sketching, hunting for specific pieces and creating art that he deems ‘worthy’ of being on display. 

When asked if he had any advice for other budding artists, Saxon divulged, “You need to really enjoy the making process, long hours of perfecting your craft and style and spending time with yourself. Make your artworks for you, otherwise what’s the point? Make artworks that get you excited and if other people like them, that’s a bonus.”

You can keep up to date by following Saxon’s Instagram @saxoncreynolds or visiting his exhibition Wunderkammer, at the Wollongong Art Gallery, once lockdown ends.