Robert Race
Most of my pieces are in driftwood and found materials, and all move in some way. Individual pieces are unique and vary considerably in size and materials.
"Immoment toys, things of such dignity
As we greet modern friends withal,..."
Antony & Cleopatra, Act V sc.ii
"I try to make things which move in simple but interesting ways. Moving toys have always been made all over the world from wood, bamboo, clay, paper, string, wire, leaves, feathers and so on. These traditional toys have been a strong influence on my work, and I have travelled in Indonesia, Mexico, India and Japan in search of them. There are many pressures leading to their disappearance today, but they are still to be found in many parts of the world, sold on the street or appearing for fairs and festivals.
At their best they achieve a vigorous imagery and make ingenious use of really simple mechanisms. The makers of these toys have also been constantly inventive in their use of materials: They have cleverly exploited the properties of whatever natural, re-used and recycled materials were readily available to them. I try to do the same and at present particularly like using driftwood because collecting it gives me a good excuse for going to the seaside."
Robert Race
| 1943 | Born |
| 1965 | Graduated from the University of Cambridge (in Natural Sciences). |
| 1966/67 | U. of London, Sch. of Education : Postgrad. Certificate in Education |
| 1967 | Taught Science in Secondary Schools |
| 1970 | Warden of Trowbridge Teachers' Centre. |
| 1974 | Diploma in Education, University of Bristol |
| 1978 | Became a full time toymaker. As a craftsman he is self-taught. |
Awards
Best Newcomer Shield , 1991The BTG Cup 1991, 1992, 1998
The Malsbury Memorial Cup (for automata and kinetic toys) 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000
Toymaker of the Year 1999
The Longleat Cup 2001
Chairman of the Guild 2003 to 2006.
Grand Prize in the Fifth Hikimi Wooden Puzzle Competition, Japan, 1992.
Commissions
Black Swan Arts, Frome, SomersetSalisbury Playhouse, Wiltshire
Victoria Art Gallery, Bath
Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester
Bibliography
Peppé, Rodney Automata and Mechanical ToysThe Crowood Press, Ramsbury 2002 ISBN 1-86126-510-7
Exempla 2002 - Welt des Holzes
Bayerischer Handwerkstag e. V., Muenchen 2002 ISBN 3-933363-13-6
Work in public collections
Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green, LondonJapan Museum of Contemporary Toy, Okayama, Japan
Arima Toys and Automata Museum, Hyogo, Japan.
Exhibitions in the last ten years have included (One man shows in bold type)
| 2003 | Christmas Show, Medici Gallery, London Crafts Council shop at the V&A, London "Living Workshop" at Heim und Handwerk in München |
| 2004 | Happy Times & the Seaside Machine Ale & Porter, Bradford on Avon |
| 2005 | The Art of Craft Medici Gallery, London Making Friends craft2eu, Hamburg Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan invited guest at the "World Karakuri Contest" |
| 2006 | Signals from the Shore Black Swan Arts, Frome Mechanical Magic 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe Fish and Ships craft2eu, Hamburg Toys at the gallery@oxo, London (British Toymakers Guild) Künstlerisches Spielzeug, Galerie Handwerk, Munich Made Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Bretton Hall Yorkshire |
| 2007 | A Piece of the Action Bridport Arts Centre, Bridport,Dorset |
| 2008 | Künstlerisches Spielzeug? Galerie Handwerk, Munich Secrets & Surprises craft2eu, Hamburg |
| 2009 | Künstlerisches Spielzeug? Galerie Handwerk, Munich
Show Time, craft2eu, Hamburg Bring on Summer Black Swan Arts, Frome Affordable Art Fair, Bristol (with White Space Art, Totnes) Les méchaniques du bonheur Automates Galerie, Brussels |
| 2010 | Künstlerisches Spielzeug? Galerie Handwerk, Munich Exposition Terra Viva, St Quentin-La-Poterie,France The Mechanical World of Robert Race, New Brewery Arts, Cirencester Tall Stories Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey Still Moving The First Gallery, Southampton Affordable Art Fair, Battersea (with White Space Art, Totnes) |
| 2011 | ` Toymakers@oxo, South Bank, London Künstlerisches Spielzeug? Galerie Handwerk, Munich Bird Show craft2eu, Hamburg, Germany Life's A Beach The Craft Centre, Leeds Affordable Art Fair, Battersea (with White Space Art, Totnes) Affordable Art Fair, Bruxelles |
| 2012 | Exposition Terra Viva, St Quentin-La-Poterie,France Robert Race Automata, Victoria Art Gallery, Bath Sommerspiele, Handwerksform, Hannover, Germany craft2eu, Hamburg, Germany Affordable Art Fair, Battersea (with White Space Art, Totnes) |
Seit 1991 ist Robert Race ein aktives Mitglied der British Toymakers Guild