Sculptor Doug Neil – Far Away, Yet Still One of Us

Written by M.J. Anderson

When making plans autumn 2023 to visit our niece in Christchurch, New Zealand, I thought to look up points of interest that we might not want to miss while “down under.” I googled sculpture garden in the locations we planned to go and found the recently new Tai Tapu Sculpture Garden, just outside of Christchurch. Admittedly, it was an attempt to appear grown- up and not rely completely on my niece to arrange everything!

I wrote to the directors of the garden to inquire about a visit to fit into our itinerary –and was surprised to get very welcoming responses from the co-founder Peter Joyce, followed by a lovely letter from sculptor, Doug Neil. As I had indicated I was an Oregon stone sculptor,

Peter had forwarded my email along to Doug.
His generous email to me said:
“My wife and son and I arrived here in 1990 from Seattle. We spent one year back there in ‘97 for my wife’s sabbatical and I ran across your work via the Northwest Sculptors but did not get to meet you personally. Anyway, this is just to let you know I’d be happy to meet up with you when you are here and show you the Tai Tapu park. There is also another marvelous garden and sculpture park about half an hour away in a place called Governors Bay. I could take you there on the same day. It’s all spectacular landscape.”

Once in Christchurch, Doug picked us up and drove us into the open agricultural countryside outside the city. Arriving at Tai Tapu, Doug introduced us to Peter Joyce and his wife/glass sculptor Annabel Menzies-Joyce, giving us a private tour around botanically rich native plantings they have introduced in a salvaged landscape (former horse paddock). The Garden now boasts many large eclectic sculptures from some of New Zealand’s best as well as smaller more intimate pieces which surprise and delight as one walks along various sized pathways. It is remarkable to see what two people can accomplish and how it affects the greater biome.
Doug’s massive rocks were the initial sculpture created for the garden and my own reaction is that they act as Shaman to all other sculptures in the Garden.

Quoting Doug Neil’s bio in a recent Tai Tapu publication:
His stone sculptures, both domestic and megalithic in scale, reflect what he calls an old-fashioned truth to materials. Cut, ground, grooved and etched, his large blocks of granite or volcanic basalt are transformed into totemic sculptures, raw in their materiality but symbolic too of prehistoric uses of stone in the landscape for aesthetic or spiritual purposes.
Garden curator Melissa Reimer writes, “In both rural and urban settings, his great rocks lend their surroundings a sense of timelessness that is both comforting and awe-inspiring.”

We connected with Doug and his work on many levels. I respect him for his vision, grace, and constancy throughout his career –and seeing his placement of a series of 40 tons of carefully worked bluestone basalt not only soothes my soul, but blows my mind! BRAVO !!!

Because of NWSSA and the connections we make with one another, my energies are renewed and I find a new friend on the other side of the world. Thank you, NWSSA!

Note: Doug decided to retire from carving a couple of years ago due to health concerns (sculpture wears out the body) and our discussions about his decision have given me pause.