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Murray Swan was born in Tauranga, new Zealand and moved to Auckland with his family as a youngster. During his intermediate school years an artistic flare developed but he chose not to go to Avondale College and do an art course against his teachers advice. Instead he did a woodwork and engineering course at Kelston Boys High School and then an apprenticeship at Air New Zealand (then TEAL).
The training and experience he gained as an aircraft engineer over ths next 34 years gave him some of the fairly unique practical skills he would need to express his artistic leanings later in life.
His practical skills were developed from his training starting with fabric covered aircraft parts, through to the modern aircraft which use far more complex materials such as high density foams, fiberglass, carbon fibre and structural bonding of metal parts etc. All these processes required the development of newer skills in order to produce work to the fine tolerances often required by the aircraft industry and with these skills he has been able to develop his art. Other skills were developed to deal with chemical treatments, electroplating, metal polishing and surface protection.
All of these skills have been essential to him in the metal sculptures he is now producing.
Murray is now living in the central North Island ?Apres ski? town of Ohakune. The Tranquil summers, dynamic winters and recently the explosive sights of Mount Ruapehu provides a stimulating environment for the creation of his sculptures.
The metals Murray uses are highly polished brass, titanium, steel and copper. His work has developed from using just metal to including sculpted forms from native New Zealand timber. This creates an additional dimension to hi work.
Murray has worked on several commissions and has had exhibitions throughout New Zealand. His work is in private collections in New Zealand and overseas.
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