An early foray into sculpture: The Three Graces

One of the things I love about Johnny is his alternative point of view and from which I've learned a lot. This is one of Johnny's experiences that not only made me laugh (It is the way he tells them.) but which opened the door to a different way of thinking.

Back in the 70s, as well as painting, Johnny was dabbling in sculpture.  'The thing is,' says Johnny, 'my sculptures always sold - especially when I was hard up.  But,' he emphasises, with  heavy pause and significant stare, 'they were crude, all wrong - but - they were appealing.'

Johnny was commissioned by an architect to create a sculpture for a new shopping precinct in Lytham St Annes.  He recounts, 'I discussed the project with the architect and we settled on the theme of the Three Graces.  I went back to my Studio to start research and work.  I thought to myself, why is it that Faith, Hope and Charity are always depicted as impossibly beautiful young women?  External beauty is no guarantee or requirement and the ugliest woman alive can be gracious.

The Three Graces

'So, I decided to make these Graces incredibly ugly and set to work in fibreglass.  I gave them great fat buttocks and scrawny breasts - they were grotesque - but I was really happy with them.  The day came for the installation.  All the shopkeepers came out in force.  'Take it down, it's obscene,' they said.  They complained to the Council and the man they sent along said, 'It's not obscene, but it is the ugliest thing.'

'Eventually, the architect rang me up. 'Johnny,' he said, 'you'll have to take it down.'  So we organised a crew to dismantle it.  'What are you doing?' the shopkeepers asked.
'We're taking it down.'
'You can't do that - we love it - people love it - they come from all over to see it!'