A KINGLSEY artist who found his true vocation after a 30 year office career is exhibiting his unusual sculptures in Frodsham this month.

After taking early retirement from a long career at insurance company, Prudential in Liverpool, Tony Evans decided to pursue a long term ambition by enrolling in art classes at Liverpool City College.

In his late 50s at the time, Tony initially saw art as a hobby to help him pass the time, but after achieving GCSEs and A-levels in art, he was spurred on to study for a degree in Fine Art at Wirral Metropolitan College, and before long, graduated at the age of 58.

Now Tony, 67, is a full time sculptor, specialising in animals and humans in action using copper and bronze, and his work has been displayed in Southport’s Atkinson Art Gallery and Port Sunlight.

His latest project on sculptures of Olympic athletes, is on show at Castle Park Art Centre in Frodsham, alongside a range of historical Olympic posters dating back to 1896.

Focusing on ‘catching the moment’, Tony’s aim was to ‘capture the split second action that encapsulates the energy, skill and dedication of the Olympic athlete’ using recycled copper and bronze.

“It’s an extremely long process to make a sculpture but I enjoy it so much, it’s definitely my true calling in life,” said Tony, who lives in Kingsley.

“My art career just happened really, I used to paint and draw a lot for my children when they were young so, when I got the chance of early retirement, I thought I’d try a little course in art, and ended up doing what I’m doing.

“I loved sculpting though, and decided to focus on that mainly, making things using recycled materials,” he added.

A frequent exhibitor across the UK, Tony is now busy working on his next project – two life-size flying swans to be cast in bronze for David Wilson Homes and a life size orang-utan that was personally requested by one of his clients.

Tony’s Olympic sculptures are on display now at Castle Park Arts Centre until February 20. For details, visit www.tonyevansculptures.com.