British artist Nic Joly unveil new work in Cheltenham

Alongside selected pieces from previous collections, the new tongue-in-cheek miniature sculptures, entitled ‘Painting The Town Red’ and ‘Some Like It Hot’, are the first of a series of works taking inspiration from film titles, with Joly putting his own spin on them. The exhibition will be on display at Castle Fine Art on The Promenade from Saturday, April 25, with the artist making a special guest appearance on the day, between 2-5pm.

Highly renowned for his intricately crafted miniature scenes, Joly’s work depicts life’s ups and downs, trials and tribulations, with the notably humorous tone throughout his work contributing towards his acclaim.

Originally Nic Joly, the cousin of comedian Dom Joly, started sculpting as a hobby, but this passion escalated into a full time profession, which sees him represent observations on life that are simultaneously mocking and truthful in nature.

The tiny figurines are full of charm and have the ability to make people smile, yet clearly communicate strong emotions such as humour, fear, joy and despair. Tiny devils and angels regularly feature in Joly’s work, in what he says represent what we’re all made of - the good and the bad; either of which can be a positive or negative trait of the human character.

Before becoming a professional artist, Joly had worked many different jobs from theatre set creator to master furniture maker, with all jobs requiring him to use his hands. However, he was still creating his miniature characters in his spare time, initially placing them in his house for his children to find.

The works may be interpreted as controversial but the humour is evident in each. For example, the piece ‘Some Like It Hot’ shows a devil taunting two people with a giant chilli, whilst the title refers to the famous Marilyn Monroe film of the same name.

Speaking about his new spring pieces, Joly says: “As ever, the inspiration for the two latest edition releases is the life around me. My own take on expressions I have heard, things I love and hate, stories I hear, the dark corners of my mind and the world that surrounds me.

“As with life, you see things from a distance and judge them. As you get closer and focus, you see the small details and a whole new meaning and understanding is born. This is why I work in the scale that I do; I strive to mirror that sentiment. I have always loved the expression ‘painting the town red’, something you say when you are going out and you know you are going to have a great time."

Visit www.castlefineart.com for more details.